Tears in Heaven
by scarlett2112
Summary: Hell Bent on self destruction, Damon struggles to cope when tragedy turns his world upside down. While in the process of fulfilling his community service requirement, he meets an enigmatic young woman. Can she be the one to save him from himself and can he help her recover from her own tragic past?
1. Chapter 1

_Welcome to 'Tears in Heaven'._

 _I'm working on the epilogue of this story. I just couldn't wait to share it with you all. I'm only going to post this chapter until 'What if I was Nothing' is complete. Otherwise I'll have four in progress stories._

 _Chapter 1: 'Landslide'_ _by 'Fleetwood Mac'_

" _Can I sail through the changing ocean tides? / Can I handle the seasons of my life?"_

* * *

"Mr. Salvatore, you've been found guilty of driving under the influence. Do you understand how serious this charge is?"

"Yes, Your Honor, I do."

"You're very fortunate that no one had to pay the price for your incredibly stupid lapse in judgement," he continues. I can only nod and drop my eyes knowing full well how stupid it was to drink and drive.

"You are hereby sentenced to thirty days in the county jail. Twenty one days will be suspended if you complete one hundred hours of community service. You will serve your nine days in jail. Following that you will meet with your attorney to set up your community service requirement. If you fail to hold up your end, you will serve the remainder of your sentence. Am I clear?" he asks.

"Yes, Your Honor," I reply, my eyes focused on his.

"Mr. Salvatore, you are remanded to custody to serve your nine days in jail. I don't ever want to see you in my courtroom again." I nod. Immediately after the judge exits the courtroom, two police officers handcuff me and lead me out of the courtroom.

* * *

"Damon, you have to get started with your community service or you'll go back to jail. Do you want to spend another three weeks sharing a cell with Guido?" Ric asks, his voice angry.

"What do you want me to do Ric? What service am I to myself, let alone anyone else?" I yell back at him.

"About that, I just got off the phone with the people at the courthouse. Tomorrow you are to be at 'Happy Dale Sanitarium' to start whittling down the hours you need to satisfy your sentence."

"What the fuck, Ric?" I snap angrily. "What the hell am I supposed to do at a psychiatric facility?"

"Damon, you play piano. You can teach them how to balance a checkbook, you own your own business, well at least for now," he remarks pointedly.

"You'll teach them how to put their best face forward as they leave the facility and return to society. I did talk to the director of the facility. These are people that are on the cusp of being released. They want them to become productive members of society. None of the people you'll be interacting with have any violence in their backgrounds," he tells me, his eyes peering into mine.

"Why would you ever think that this would be acceptable to me? Certainly there are other things I could do as long as I'm being forced to do this."

"Because of your unique history, Damon. Somewhere under that cold, aloof façade, there is a decent guy underneath. I'm hoping this will help you find him again."

Grimacing, I get up and shove my chair out of the way, "Don't Ric," I seethe.

"Damon, Stefan has been covering your ass and keeping your business afloat. You need to get your life in order and get back in the game," he stresses, his voice firm. Having heard enough, I start to walk out of his office.

"Where are you going?" he demands to know, grabbing ahold of my elbow.

"Anywhere but here," I yell, trying to pull my arm out of his grasp.

"Stop acting like a child, Damon. You're a grown man and look at you! Throwing temper tantrums like a spoiled child. God, who are you?" he asks, gripping my arm tightly, his angry glare zeroing in on my eyes.

Sighing heavily, I relax my stature long enough for him to let go. "What time do I need to be there tomorrow?" I ask, my once defiant voice now soft in surrender.

"The center's director is expecting you at nine sharp."

Nodding, and with my shoulders slumped, I walk out of his office, pulling the door closed behind me.

* * *

"I'm Damon Salvatore. I'm supposed to meet with the director at nine o'clock," I tell the receptionist when she asks what I want.

"Have a seat. She's on a conference call right now but I'll let her know you're here."

"Thank you," I tell her then take a seat on one of the uncomfortable chairs in the waiting area. Picking up a magazine, I start to thumb through when for some reason I raise my eyes to look out of the window. Just outside, stooping down to smell some flowers is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Her brown tresses shimmer in the sunlight and her olive skin glows under the bright yellow sundress she's wearing.

For whatever reason, she looks towards me, briefly making eye contact. Smiling at me shyly, I can't help but feel the magnetic-like pull between us as I give her a hesitant smile back. When another woman walks up to her, whispering something in her ear, she drops her eyes. Suddenly she's brandishing a look of pain so visceral that I can almost feel the stab in my heart as well. My reverie is broken when I hear my name.

"Mr. Salvatore?"

Quickly I turn away from the window and look at the receptionist again.

"Mrs. Lockwood will see you now. Come with me."

Getting up, I follow her down the hall till we get to the right suite. She opens the door then steps aside for me to walk in. Mrs. Lockwood stands up, extending her hand to greet me. Swallowing back a snide, sarcastic remark, I tell her it's nice to meet her too.

"Mr. Salvatore, I'm Carol Lockwood. How are you today?" she asks, her smile saccharine and phony.

"I'm here and at your disposal till my hundred hours are complete. Now, perhaps you can tell me what my responsibilities will be," I ask, a snarky smile on my face.

"Why do I get the feeling you'd rather be anywhere but here?" she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Am I that obvious?" I utter, dropping my head.

"You are. Mr. Salvatore, this is never going to work if you have this kind of an attitude," she scolds.

"I apologize Mrs. Lockwood. I really need to do my time as it were. Please just tell me what my responsibilities will be?"

"Perhaps we can come up with something mutually beneficial Mr. Salvatore?" she says walking around to the front of her desk. Sitting on the edge, she takes my chin in her hand.

"Um, what did you have in mind?"

"Well...," she starts to say when her secretary interrupts us.

Exhaling a puff of air, I thank my lucky stars that she broke in when she did.

"Mrs. Lockwood?" she asks, looking from her to me and then back at her.

"What did you need April?"

"A representative from the court is on the phone. They're checking to see if Mr. Salvatore kept his appointment."

"Why don't you take him back to the waiting room with you. I'll be right out Damon so I can give you a tour of the facility and explain what will be expected of you."

Nodding, I get up and follow April out of her office, thankful to have escaped this cougar's clutches.

* * *

Apparently she's done with her phone call because within minutes she walks out of her office and directs me to follow her. We walk down the hall and into the main facility. It's quite a nice place. There are a lot of windows letting in a lot of daylight. There are scenic pictures on the walls. I see one of the Grand Tetons mountain range and another of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. That's always been my favorite place. Maybe someday I'll go back. Staring at the pictures, I turn towards her when she calls out for someone.

"Dr. Mikaelson, this is Damon Salvatore," she says, introducing us.

"May I call you Damon?" he asks.

"Um, sure," I reply, shaking his hand when he offers it.

"Damon needs to fulfill his community service requirement. I'm just showing him around."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Salvatore."

"Damon," I reply. Just as Carol starts to say something, her cell phone chimes. Pulling it out of her pocket, she looks at the caller ID.

"If you'll excuse me, I need to take this," she says, walking off.

"Come Damon, I'll show you around. My name is Nik." We walk around the building, he shows me an entertainment room that has a big piano in it as well as a billiard table and an air hockey table. They have a big screen TV and seating too. Then he takes me to a generic classroom and explains what services other 'volunteers' provide to the facility and the people who live here.

Then he takes me outside. The grounds are beautiful full of gardens and shade trees stretching quite a distance. As I scan the horizon, I'm once again enthralled when I see the girl in the yellow dress. She sitting under a tree reading to some kids. I wonder if they live in this facility too. I also can't help but wonder if she's one of the patients here or if she's one of their employees. When our eyes meet again, I once again earn a quick albeit beautiful smile from her. With a slight nod, I acknowledge her before turning my attention back to Nik when he starts to talk.

"Now you've had the tour. When do you start here?" he asks, his hands on his hips.

"I don't know. I guess I'll have to talk to Mrs. Lockwood about a schedule," I reply honestly. It's nearly eleven in the morning by the time we're done with the tour. It's really a massive facility that also houses dangerous psychopaths who've committed crimes but were found incompetent to stand trial. I'm glad I won't have to work in that section of the facility.

"I'll walk you back to her office. It's easy to get lost here," he chuckles.

"Thanks." Fortunately Carol is nowhere to be seen when I get back to her office. After talking to her secretary, she hands me a tentative schedule, telling me to go through it and let them know which days don't work for me. Finally done, I go outside and wait for my ride since the judge took away my driving privileges for the next month. I may have to get a bicycle or something. I can hardly expect Ric or my family to taxi me around every day till I get my hundred hours completed. There's a bus stop within walking distance of this place so if nothing else, I can get here that way. When I hear a car honking, I look up to see Stefan pulling up alongside me. Rolling my eyes, I slide in the car and we drive.

* * *

"So how did it go?" Stefan asks, looking at me momentarily before turning his eyes back to the road.

Sighing, I stare out of the car window. "It went. Can we not talk about this?"

"No, damn it. You will talk about this. I shouldn't have to be the one holding your business together. I'm sick of it. So either you take this seriously or prepare to wave goodbye to it," he snaps at me angrily.

"Fine, it went fine. They gave me a schedule and I'm supposed to let them know if it works for me. Are you satisfied now?"

"Yes, I am. Because one way or another, Damon, I'm going to do what I want to do. I'm not going to continue to hold your water for you. You need to quit the pity party and start caring about your business."

"Pity party? Really Stefan?" I ask, shaking my head at the irony of it all.

"You know what I mean," he says to placate me.

"Look Stefan, I know you mean well but I don't want to talk about it anymore. Let's just go back to the office. I need to start working on that prototype I've been thinking about."

"What's that?"

"It's a secret."

"Fine," he remarks. Apparently done with this conversation too, he reaches forward to turn on the radio.

 _Time can bring you down, time can bend your knees_

 _Time can break your heart, have you begging please, begging please_

 _Beyond the door there's peace I'm sure_

 _And I know there'll be no more tears in heaven_

When I hear the words on the radio, I swallow thickly. Dropping my head, I pinch the bridge of my nose trying to keep my tears at bay. Without saying anything, Stefan quickly turns off the radio just as we're pulling into my business.

I jump out of the car before he even pulls it to a full stop. As fast as my legs will carry me, I hurry to my office and lock the door. Feeling the weight of the world once again, I sit down. Looking at the wall, my eyes well up. Dropping my head into my hands, I let my tears fall freely, my mind wondering what might have been.

* * *

 _I hope you're intrigued enough to review and follow along. This is long, over 20 chapters. As I said, I only have the epilogue left to complete but I have a good start on it._

 _Thank you so much Eva. And thank you so much Kate for the lovely cover image. I can never thank either of you enough for all you do for me. I love you both._

 _Please give 'Rainy Days and Mondays', 'The Unforgiven' and 'What if I Was Nothing' a read. Please remember to hit that review button. They really are the lifeblood for a writer._

 _I absolutely adore Cary Grant. He's at his hysterical best, playing Mortimer Brewster in 'Arsenic and Old Lace'. It's from this movie that I got the name of the sanitarium._

 _I worked the last two night so the synapses are slowing considerably. And since I'm having a hard time keeping my eyes open, I'm going to go to sleep now for a few hours._

 _My other stories will all update in a few days. I'm anxious to hear what you all think of this one._

 _As always, stay safe and have a lovely day.. Thank you again for all of your support with my stories._


	2. Whiskey Lullaby

_I wasn't going to post another chapter till 'WIIWN' was marked complete but I wanted to address my anonymous reviewer._

 _I never gave it much thought but I guess I'm just more comfortable writing in Damon's point of view. But in no way do I believe that I make Elena a secondary character. 'Only Time' is a multi-chapter story that is written in Elena's voice. 'Halo', 'There You'll Be', 'The Necklace'. and 'Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus' are all written in Elena's voice as well. Although 'Breathe' is written in Damon's voice, Elena's disability is the focus of the story._

 _Elena plays a valuable role in all of my stories. I know writing in Damon's POV, we do hear his voice more often. but she is his equal and I would never diminish how important she is. That said, I will certainly consider writing a longer story from Elena's perspective if either Eva or I can come up with a fetching idea. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns with me._

 _More of this will post as soon as we turn the lights out on the other story._

* * *

 _"I can't do this anymore, no, what I mean is I don't want to play house with you anymore. I want to do what I want, when I want without having to answer to anyone," she yells at me._

 _"But I thought you were happy and you wanted to be with me? I make a good living. I've given you everything you've asked for. Why are you doing this?" I scream back, fisting my hands in my hair._

 _"Can't you get it through your thick skull, I want nothing to do with you. I can hardly stand even stand to look at you," she spews, twisting the dagger in deeper with each syllable that flies out of her mouth._

 _"What have I done to make you feel this way?"_

 _"Nothing, I just don't like you very much," she finishes, her voice trailing when a car horn sounds. When I look at the window, I see a blonde-haired, big burly, football type waiting in a convertible in my driveway._

 _"Who's that?"_

 _"My ride. Goodbye, Damon. It's been fun... not," she sneers, slamming the door closed behind her._

 _It's already been a few months since she went away. I couldn't file a missing persons report with the police because she left of her own volition. I'm trying to put my life back together as best I can. There is a part of me that never wants to see her again while another part of me desperately wants her to come back. If for nothing else than to settle things between us. The only contact I've had with her was a quick text to let me know that she was safe. I've always tried to be home by six so we could spend our evenings together. I had no idea she was so unhappy with me and our life together. Maybe if she comes back, we could try counseling?_

 _It's a Saturday afternoon. Finally I have a moment to relax so I sit down in the living room to read today's newspaper. When I hear the doorbell ring, I get up from my chair to answer it. Pulling it open, I see Stefan standing there with a female police officer._

 _With my eyes darting from one to the other, confused, I turn to Stefan. "What..., What's going on?" As soon as she says it, my knees buckle as I collapse to the floor, not wanting to believe what I just heard. 'Drowning? What? No, no, no?" I whimper, tears filling my eyes._

Flying upright in bed, I inhale a deep shuddering breath when I realize it was just another nightmare. It's still pitch dark in my room except for the glow of my clock. It's only three o'clock in the morning so I lay back down. My heart is still thundering against my rib cage so I press my palm to my chest hoping it'll calm down and allow me to go back to sleep.

I have to start doing my time at Happy Dale tomorrow. I wonder if I'll see that girl again? Taking a deep breath, I finally release my palm from my chest when it starts thrumming normally again. Reaching over to my bedside stand, I grab the water bottle and take a drink. Sighing, I put it back before laying back down. Hoping that I can get a few more hours of sleep, I roll onto my side and close my eyes.

* * *

"Good morning Mr. Salvatore," April, Mrs. Lockwood's secretary greets me the next morning when I step into her office to learn my assignment for the day.

"Hello, I didn't know if I was to report here first?" I ask, unsure.

"Yes it is. We need to log you in so the court knows that you have fulfilled your sentence mandate," she tells me. "Mrs. Lockwood isn't in today. You're to report to Dr. Mikaelson. I believe he has need of some help today. Do you know where his office is?"

"I met him last week but I don't begin to know which one is his office."

"If you'll have a seat, I'll take you there in a few minutes. I need to get someone to watch my desk," she tells me, pointing to the seating area. Maybe ten minutes pass by the time she asks me to follow her. She points out various offices and reminds me of where the cafeteria is for when I take my lunch break. When we arrive at Dr. Mikaelson's office, she steps inside, holding the door open, gesturing for me to enter.

"Lisa, this is Mr. Salvatore," she says, pointing to me. Making eye contact, I nod at her while grimacing on the inside.

"Mrs. Lockwood said he should work with Dr. Nik today."

"Have a seat Mr. Salvatore. I'll see if the Dr. is ready for you," she says, turning to April to whisper something in her ear. Both women giggle for a few moments before April says goodbye and walks out of this office. I pick up a magazine. Just as I open it up, I hear my name.

"Damon, how are you today?" Dr. Mikaelson greets me.

"I'm here," I reply with lackluster.

"Don't sound so excited," he teases, sarcasm not withstanding. "Come now, I'm taking a few of the young people out for a day trip. We're going to the mall."

"The mall? What's at the mall?" I ask incredulously.

"We're only taking seven people Damon. I can't keep an eye on them by myself. A few of them have been in here since they were teens. I want to show them around, show them what things cost these days. They need to learn how to budget their money if they're to make ends meet when they leave here," he explains.

"I guess it's understandable when you frame it that way."

"Alright then, let's get going. After you," he says, gesturing for me to go first. I walk alongside him till we arrive at the main atrium of the hospital. With my eyes, I look around to see if I can catch a glimpse of that girl. Under the pretense of looking at the landscaping, I even take a moment to walk over and look out of the window. I don't know why but I want to see her again. I haven't felt anything or anyone tug at my consciousness for a very long time. Unfortunately she's nowhere to be seen today.

"Good morning everyone," the Dr. begins. I'd like to introduce you to Damon. He's going to be going with us today to help me keep an eye on you all. Before you start tossing out allegations about mistrust, I just don't want any of you to destroy your chance to get out of here and start your lives free and clear of this place. If you try to wander off, you'll be caught and sentenced to come back here. It'll be up to a Judge to decide that but as a few of you are well aware, there are some bad ass judges out there," he says to them with a wink.

Shaking my head, I can't help but agree with him. That's the reason I'm here after all.

"Everyone, let's go outside to the bus," Dr. Nik tells them. They take their turns getting in the mini bus with me following the last person. Dr. Nik gets in the driver's seat with me in the passenger seat. The mall is about twenty miles away in the next town. It's a pretty good sized one. Nik takes a group of four people while I take a group of three. He tells me to take them in the different stores and show them prices and fill out employment applications as they're scheduled to be released from confinement very soon.

"Mr. Salvatore, can you help me with this application?" the girl named Jasmine asks. Walking over, I look over her shoulder as she points out the question.

"That's simple, they just want to know what date you'd be available to start working should they decide to hire you," I explain to her. "Do you have a date to be released?" I ask, honestly trying to help her out.

"Yeah, it's in six weeks. I have a calendar in my room to mark off the days. Thanks," she says, sucking her lower lip into her mouth.

"No problem. I'll let you finish," I tell her, stepping back. Once they're all finished with filling out applications, we make our way to the café court which is where Dr. Nik told us all to meet up.

Once we arrive, I look around to see if I can see the other group. Just as I'm about to give up and take a table, I see him wave his hand for us to join the rest of them. Once we all get something to eat, we wander around the mall a little longer before piling back onto the bus to go back to the facility.

Once we're back at Happy Dale, the group disembarks the bus and we all go back inside the facility. Glancing at my watch, I notice it's nearly four in the afternoon and it's time for me to go home for the day. After going to Mrs. Lockwood's office to check out, I walk to the bus stop and wait for it to arrive. With nothing better to do, I pull out my cell phone and call my dad.

"Hello?"

"Hi dad," I tell him softly.

"Damon? How are you, son?"

"I'm lost dad," I whisper, turning to look on either side of me to make sure I'm really alone.

"How can I help you?" he asks. I can hear the sincerity in his tone.

"I don't know dad. I have to fulfill my court ordered sentence. Maybe after that, I'll close up shop for a couple of weeks and come home, if that's okay?"

"Of course, it's okay son. I do understand what you're going through," he tells me.

"I know. You're the only one I can talk to. Everyone else just tries to make me forget and I can't."

"Have you ever thought about seeing a counselor?"

"Not really," I tell him. When I hear the bus pull up, I raise my eyes signaling the driver to give me a second.

"Listen dad, I have to go. My bus is here. I'll talk to you soon. Bye now," I tell him then click my phone off and climb on the bus.

* * *

I'm scheduled to go to Happy Dale three times this week. But today I find myself in the development part of my business. I'm working on a new prototype for a video game format that I have developed. When I was in college, I developed a video game. Fortunately when I presented it to one of the game system manufacturers, they snapped it up. I was given a large amount of money plus a portion of each unit sold. After that, I developed one after another of successful games which is why I have all the money that I'll ever need.

Sitting in front of the computer, I start to do some work, taking measurements and adjusting pixels and getting the color scheme in order. I usually just develop a prototype. When it's purchased by a manufacturer, they add all the fancy graphics and animation as well as even more brilliant colors. I'm proud of my work and it does take my mind off of things for awhile. I just haven't been able to do the face to face with my buyers after everything happened. I threw myself right onto a path of self destruction culminating in my DWI arrest. While I'm grateful that I didn't hurt anyone, a little part of me wishes I wouldn't have been so lucky with myself.

Since that day, nothing makes sense in my life. Glancing at the picture adhered to the edge of my computer monitor, I reach up shakily to run my fingers over the eyes that are staring back at me. Dropping my head into my hands, I take a deep breath to try to ground myself. When I hear the door open, I quickly feign working so whoever it is will leave quickly.

"Damon?" Rolling my eyes, I turn to look at my brother.

"What is it, Stefan?" I ask.

"Now that you're starting to show up for work, I'm going to start filling out job applications. Do you understand?"

"No, Stefan. A simpleton like myself cannot comprehend something so profound."

"Quit with the sarcasm. This place holds no interest for me. I only stepped in to help you after that day. I didn't sign up for a lifetime of this," he tells me, his voice full of contempt.

"Why are you even still here then? Don't get me wrong, I am grateful that you helped me out after everything but I didn't ask you to give up your dreams to pull me up by the bootstraps you know?"

"Let's not do this okay?" he replies, raising his arms in surrender.

"You're the one who barged in here."

"I know. I'm going back to the office. I have an appointment with a representative from "Anderson Gaming" so I need to prepare a presentation. Do you want to get something to eat after while? I can ask Caroline to set another place."

"No, I'm just going to go home when I'm done for the day." Turning away from him, I focus on the computer monitor in front of me.

"Damon, you have to eat. You've lost at least twenty-five pounds."

"Stefan, what part of I don't want to talk about it do you not understand?" I ask angrily, turning away from him.

"Why am I here?" he asks, storming out of my draft-room. When I hear the door slam shut, I breathe a sigh of relief that he's gone. Deciding I'm not going to get anything else done today, I shut down my computer and leave through the back door so no one will notice that I've left.

I walk around aimlessly till I find myself in front of little bar and grill. Once inside, I walk over to take a seat at the bar. After ordering a double bourbon, I let myself relax and take a big swallow, savoring the burn as it goes down.

"Leave the bottle," I tell him. Shrugging his shoulders, he sets it in front of me. Having already filled my glass twice, I reach to fill it a third time when I feel a hand pressing down on my forearm stopping me from filling my glass again.

"You got troubles, sugar?" she asks when I turn to see who's beside me.

"Look, I want to be alone," I tell her, pulling my arm out from under hers to pour myself another.

"A handsome fella like you drinking all by yourself? Surely there's a story there? I'm a good listener," she adds in her southern drawl.

"Please, I just want to be alone," I stress to her.

"I don't believe that, sugar," she replies, with a wink as she leans forward letting her buxom breasts practically fall out of her top.

"Lady, enough. Are you really this thick? What part of I'm not interested escapes you?" I snap, looking at her with disgust.

"Well, I never," she answers, feigning indignation.

Rolling my eyes, I just turn back to my bottle. After paying my bill, I stumble out of the bar almost doing a face plant on the sidewalk. With much effort I get back on my feet, swaying with each step on my way home. Fortunately it's only a few blocks. Somehow I make it home without breaking any bones. Letting myself in the dark empty unnatural solitude of my house, I fall down onto the couch face first and close my eyes, hoping maybe I won't wake up this time.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva for everything. And I also want to thank those of you who took the time to read, review, follow and favorite. Thank you so much._

 _Please remember this story is so much more complicated than the title seems to suggest._

 _Chapter title: 'Whiskey Lullaby' by 'Brad Paisley and Allison Krauss'._

 _Please watch for updates on 'What if I Was Nothing', 'Rainy Days and Mondays' and 'The Unforgiven'._

 _Please remember to hit that review button. I'm trying to start work on another one of Eva's brilliant ideas. It'll take some research and it is complicated so I hope it'll come easier than this story did._

 _Stay safe and have a wonderful day. Thank you all again. See you right here next time._


	3. Fade to Black

_I know I said I wouldn't post anymore of this till we turned the lights off on 'WIIWN' but I'm stuck at home nursing a badly sprained toe. I can't walk for nearly 13 hours on my heel unfortunately. As an RN, we are on our feet most of our shifts, be it making hourly rounds to check on our patients while they're sleeping, you know make sure the chest is still rising and falling. Or giving out scheduled and PRN medications, doing admissions, or God forbid, code blues. They do tend to get the blood pumping. But anyway, I thought I'd update this. See you at the bottom._

* * *

When I start to arouse, there's a bright, blinding light shining in my eyes. Groaning, I raise my forearm to cover them but I feel a pinch in the crook of my elbow and then an alarm starts blaring right next to me.

"Mr. Salvatore, you need to keep your arm straight. You kink your IV needle when you bend your elbow," a female voice chides me gently.

"Hospital? Why am I in a hospital?"

"Alcohol poisoning, Damon," I hear Stefan's voice. For whatever reason his voice is lacking his usual bluster.

"How did you even find me?" I ask, still keeping my arm over my eyes.

"I came over to ask for your opinion about the presentation that I had prepared. And thank God I did." Shaking his head in dismay, he pleads, "Damon, please. I don't want to bury you. You need to stop."

Dropping my head, I lower my arm just far enough so I can look him in the eyes. "Maybe I'm ready to be buried."

He closes his eyes and drops into the chair beside my bed. "Damon, you need help. If you don't give a rip about me, at least think of dad. Do you think he wants to watch his son's dead body being lowered into the ground?"

"Don't Stefan," I caution him, finally turning my eyes away from him.

"What happened last night to push you over the edge?"

Sighing heavily, "I don't know, Stefan. Anything, everything, I just, I just...," I add, my voice trailing off as I reach up to pinch the bridge of my nose. Once I regain my composure, I ask him when I can go home.

"You have to stay spend the night here. You were barely breathing when I found you. I called an ambulance and they had to intubate you. Then they pumped your stomach."

"Why did you have to come over?"

"Damon, don't. Despite our differences, you're my brother and I love you. Is there anyone you can talk to at Happy Dale?"

"Stefan...," I start to say when I hear his phone ring.

"Hi dad. He's conscious now. Do you want to talk to him?"

Shaking my head no when he turns to look at me, I utter, "No Stef, I can't. I don't want to disappoint him anymore than I already have."

"Okay dad, I will." I hear him say and then to spite me, I'm sure, he lays the phone on my lap . When I hear dad say my name, I realize that Stefan put him on speaker phone.

"Damon?"

"I'm here dad," I whisper, too ashamed to talk any louder.

"Son, I'm going to make arrangements to fly out there for a few days. Can I stay with you?"

"I don't need a babysitter, dad."

"Clearly you need someone?"

Defeated, I exhale heavily. Silence fills the room for a few long moments, broken only when I finally answer him. "You can stay with me. Thanks dad."

"You're welcome. Now get some rest and stay away from the bottle. I intend to get rid of everything you have in your house. Do you understand?"

Feeling about five years and being scolded, I can only nod. Even though he can't see the gesture, I'm sure he could sense my surrender.

"And Damon, I love you and I'm not going to sit back and watch you destroy yourself. I'll let you know when my flight is supposed to land as soon as I can get a ticket. Now get some rest and I'll talk to you later. Goodbye Stefan," he says before the phone clicks off.

"Did someone call Happy Dale and tell them I'm not there because I'm in the hospital?"

"Yeah, Ric called them and notified the court. You're lucky you have so many people that care about you. Please Damon. I know the last year has been brutal and I know I've been less than supportive at times but... I don't want to lose you Damon. Who would I fight with?" he asks, half serious, half in jest.

Unable to look at him any longer, I raise my eyes to the ceiling. "I just feel empty Stefan."

"I know," he replies. Standing up, he gives my shoulder a squeeze. "I'm going to go home now. I'll be here in the morning to take you home, okay?"

"Yeah, I'm sure we'll butt heads again soon enough, but thank you, Stefan." He puts his hand on the door handle then turns around to give me a look. With a nod, he pushes it open and steps out of my room.

* * *

"Oh Damon, how are you feeling? Mr. Saltzman informed us that you were ill."

"Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Lockwood but I'd rather not talk about it. What is my assignment today?"

"Can you cook?" she asks, her finger on her lip.

"Yes, I can cook. Why?"

"Both of our cooks called in sick today. We need to feed both our patients and our staff. Some of the patients help out in the kitchen to earn some spending money. They'll help you."

"Okay then. Take me there," I tell her, shaking my head.

"Alright then, come on," she says, leading me out of her office and into the food preparation area. Reaching for a piece of paper, she points out what was on the menu for today before departing.

"Are you going to cook today?" a blonde haired guy asks.

"That's what I've been told," I chuckle. "My name is Damon," I tell him, offering my hand.

"I'm Luke. I help prepare the meals too. I cut vegetables, peel potatoes, that type of thing."

"Okay then. Let's get busy. Is anyone else going to help or is it just us?"

"I think Rose is supposed to help out today too. I'll see if I can find her," he tells me. Just as he's about to exit the kitchen, a mousy-haired girl runs inside, out of breath.

"Sorry I'm late. I was out for a run," she pants, bending over, placing her hands above her knees to catch her breath.

"I was just about to come to look for you Rose. This is Damon. He's the cook today." Standing up, she shakes off her fatigue and walks over to me.

"I'm Rose. It's nice to meet you." After we exchange formalities, I roll up my sleeves then slip an apron on. Walking over to the refrigerator, I grab the huge tray of tenderized steak meat and take it over to the stove.

"It looks like we're supposed to make Swiss steak. Would you prefer tomato gravy or brown gravy?" I ask them.

"I think brown gravy would be a nice change," Rose remarks.

"I concur. Rose, do you want to chop onions or peel potatoes?" Luke asks.

"I'll peel potatoes. Onions.. ick," she answers him with a shudder.

"Alright, brown gravy it is," I reply then turn my attention to the task at hand. I season the flour then go about frying up the meat. The three of us work together and get everything done that we need to do. I was struck by how many pregnant women went through the lunch line today. Brushing it off, I serve the staff members when line up to eat too. Luke and Rose help me clean up and by the time we're done, it's time for me to leave for the day. After taking a moment to wash my hands I tell Rose and Luke goodbye then go back to the office to check out.

When I get into her office, I can't help but overhear someone crying. "But I heard him cry," the girl says, her voice pained.

"It's your mind playing tricks on you. Your son was stillborn. If you keep this up, you won't be released," I hear Mrs. Lockwood chastise the girl, her voice condescending. Knowing I shouldn't be eavesdropping, I stealthily step out so no one will know I was in the office. Just as I do, I run smack dab into April, Mrs. Lockwood's secretary.

"Did you need something, Mr. Salvatore?" she asks.

"No, I was just checking out for the day. I'll see you tomorrow," I tell her then quickly make my escape.

* * *

When I get home for the day, I'm completely exhausted so I slowly walk into my bedroom, slip out of my clothes then hop into the shower. Dropping my head against the wall, I close my eyes and let the water pummel me into submission. Finally, I stand upright, grab the scrunchy and the shower gel, lather it up and clean my body. Once done, I turn off the water, pick up my towel and step out. Wrapping around my waist, I walk back into my bedroom and slip on a pair of running shorts and a sleeveless tee shirt. I haven't worked out in a long time.

Hoping it'll help me take my mind off things for a little while, I walk outside, hop in my car and drive to the gym. After parking the car, I go in.

"Damon, it's good to see you buddy," Enzo remarks, shaking my hand.

"Hi Enzo. How's the flower business?"

"It's wedding season, buddy. I barely have any time to myself this time of year. But speaking of work, I need to go. I'm meeting a couple about that very subject in a half an hour. Don't make yourself so scarce, okay?" he says, giving me a look before making his exit.

After watching him leave, I get on the treadmill and walk and walk and walk. I've walked ten miles by the time I get off. Panting, I walk over to the stationary bike, hop on and push myself even farther. When I hear someone say hi to me, I look up only to have a bottle of water shoved into my hands.

"You look like you're about to collapse," she says, tilting her head slightly.

"Thanks. I haven't seen you for awhile. How's married life?" I ask.

"It's wonderful. Brady is a good guy. And I know you worried when he and I first got together and I love you for that, but I'm really happy, Damon."

"I'm glad. You're a good friend."

"So are you. How are things?" she asks, tilting her head just slightly, a tight smile on her lips.

"I've been better. All I can do is take one day at a time. My dad is flying in to visit tomorrow. It'll be good to have him here."

"Tell him hi for me okay? Isn't it funny how life works out sometimes?"

"How so?"

"We grew up together in Virginia and here we are in Texas, together again. But I need to get going. I promised Brady a home cooked meal. Call me sometime. I'd like to have you over for supper. I'll even ask Stefan and Caroline to join us. Give me jingle okay?"

"Sure Mer. Say hi to Brady for me."

"I will, goodbye," she replies, giving my forearm a squeeze before walking away.

Once I've thoroughly exhausted myself, I jump into the shower again, dress and go home. After making myself something to eat, I collapse on the edge of my bed. Without bothering to change my shorts, I pull my shirt off, crawl under the covers and close my eyes.

* * *

"Good morning Mr. Salvatore," April greets me when I step into the office to check in for my shift today. Her flirtatious greeting sends a shiver up my spine.

"Um, good morning. What's on the agenda for me today?"

"I honestly don't know. I'll go check," she says. I walk over to the window to look outside. I still haven't gotten that image of that pretty girl out of my mind. I turn around when I hear April address me.

"Come with me. They want you to help out in a classroom today. I don't know if you're aware but within this complex is a home for unwed pregnant girls that have issues. You're going to be working with Dr. Nik over there today. I'll walk you over and he'll meet you there," she says, gesturing me to follow her with a come hither motion with her arm.

Sighing, I follow behind her. We walk across the grounds to another building. When I step inside there are several young pregnant girls. I stunned that there are so many. We meander down the hallway till we get to a what looks like a classroom. She unlocks the door and tells me to step inside.

"Dr. Mikaelson will join you shortly. I'll tell him that you're here," she says, once again smiling at me curiously before leaving me alone. I start looking around the classroom. There's really nothing to see so I plop down onto a desk and wait for the Dr.

"Damon, It's good to see you," Dr. Nik greets me with a handshake.

"What are we doing today?"

"I have a degree in mathematics too so we're doing some book keeping today." Just as I open my mouth to reply, a group of about fifteen girls walk into the classroom. Some are sullen and stoic looking. A few others are giggling. Once they all take their seats, he introduces me while handing me a stack of papers to hand out. After we all get settled he starts the lesson. Afterwards, he gives them study time. As they raise their hands for assistance, I walk around and help them out. I am actually enjoying myself today.

After helping several of the girls with their math equations in this class and a second one, I blow out a puff of air and take a seat. Again, I'm surprised that there are so many pregnant girls with emotional issues. But I brush it off since I'm not privy to what goes on inside their heads. Still, I feel good about myself after helping them all day for the first time in quite a while.

"Thank you for your help today, Damon. I really appreciate it. You're really good with them. Sometimes patience isn't one of my virtues," Dr. Nik says with a chuckle.

"I think that's true for all of us at one time or another," I reply honestly.

"You can go home now if you want. I'll see you soon," he says, dismissing me. Fortunately, April is nowhere to be seen when I check out for the day. After taking a moment to use the restroom, I start to walk out of the facility when I feel my phone vibrate. Reaching into my pocket, I take it out to see who is texting me. Seeing how it's Stefan, I'm tempted to ignore it but I don't. I start texting him back. With my attention elsewhere, I walk right into someone causing me to drop my phone.

I look up just in time to see her crash to the floor, landing on her backside. Just as I start to apologize, I'm rendered speechless when I see who I bumped into.. It's _her._

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. I appreciate all of your help and guidance and love and friendship._

 _Thank you all for taking an interest in this story and especially those of you who do take those extra few seconds to write a word or two, a sentence or two. I appreciate it more than you know._

 _This story is a pretty long one so a lot is going to be unfolding._

 _Watch for the final chapter of 'What if I was Nothing' to post soon. 'The Unforgiven' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays' will be updating in a couple of days too._

 _Title: 'Fade to Black' by Metallica_

 _I just finished an Elena-centric Christmas story. I have two ready to post when it gets closer to Christmas. Eva and I have also started on another new story. But it's complicated too so it's requiring a lot of research but so far it's been fun to write. I'll tell you more about it when it's closer to posting._

 _As always, stay safe and have a fabulous day. Thank you all again for your support. Until the next time..._


	4. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted

_Just as I start to apologize, I'm rendered speechless when I see who I bumped into... It's her._

Getting over my initial shock, I offer her my hand to help her up. When she grabs on, my eyes widen when I feel the crackles of electricity surge from every spot that our skin is joined. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," I confess. Noticing our hands are still joined, I lose my train of thought. I start to look over her to make sure she isn't hurt all the while keeping her hand safely in mine.

"Are you okay?"

"I wasn't watching where I was going either. It seems we're both at fault," she laughs, smiling at me.

Completely lost in her eyes and her brilliant smile, I open and close my mouth like a fish out of water. After a few seconds, I shake off my stupor replying, "I'm Damon." For whatever reason, I don't want to let go of her hand. I shake it as in a greeting before I finally let go.

"I'm Elena, it's nice to meet you, Damon. Are you new here?"

"No, I.. um...," figuring I may as well be honest with her, "I'm doing my community service here. I was convicted of driving while intoxicated. I'm quite ashamed of myself but I'm beyond grateful that I didn't hurt anyone with my foolishness."

"Yes, you're very lucky. One mishap can be forgiven but don't do it again," she cautions, waving her index finger at me in a scolding manner.

Shaking my head, I laugh. "Um, are you allowed to leave here? I'd like to buy you a cup of coffee or a soda, Frappuccino maybe?" I ask, hoping she'll say yes.

"Can I have a rain check?" I have an appointment that I can't cancel if I want to get out of here.

"Tomorrow maybe? I'm not scheduled to be here but I could meet you at the Starbucks down the street. Would that work?"

"That would be perfect. I'll meet you at say two o'clock?"

"I'll see you then," I tell her then start to back away, not wanting to turn my back on her. Our eyes remain fixed on each other's till I reach the door. Then the spell is broken when someone pushes the door open from the outside. When I look up, all I see is her back as she walks away from me.

* * *

When I get up the next morning, I decide to go into my office today for a few hours. My dad's flight arrives this evening plus I have my coffee date with Elena this afternoon. _'Elena'_ is such a pretty name. It suits her. Once I gather my wits about me, I take a shower and get cleaned up for the day. I let my employees dress casually as I want them to be comfortable. I don't have many. We design and market the games to the bigger conglomerations. I enjoy the hands on part of the job rather than the marketing part of it. Stefan is really good at it so a big part of me hopes that he'll change his mind and want to stay. I do pay him a good salary.

Maybe I can get Caroline on my side. She likes that he can pretty much set his own hours. He's home with her on evenings and weekends. I want him to stay but a part of me doesn't want to prevent him from finding something he's as passionate about as I felt once upon a time. That is until it all came crashing down just over a year ago. It's been hell for me. I need to claw my way out of it but it's so hard and I feel so lost and so alone. Nights are the worst. At least during the daytime, I'm either here or at Happy Dale. The fact that I'm enjoying my time at the facility is quite shocking really. But I can't deny the sense of accomplishment I feel when I can help these people.

After getting dressed, I pour some coffee into my travel mug. I grab my house keys and make sure it's locked before taking off down the street to wait for the bus. I have to ride the bus until the sixty days that my driver's license was suspended is complete. Strolling along down the sidewalk, I arrive at the bus stop just as it's pulling up. Pulling my pass out of my wallet, I show it to him then climb aboard. It's approximately two to three miles to my business. I suppose I could walk or jog but I don't want to be all sweaty and disheveled when I get there. Of course there are bathrooms but there isn't a shower on site for me to use to clean up. As such, I'm content to ride the bus for now.

"Good morning, Damon?" I hear when I step into the building.

"Ric, what are you doing here? Did I somehow screw up my community service?"

"No, calm down. Nothing like that. I just wanted to check in with you after the hospital stay and all."

"Thanks for your concern but I'm fine," I tell him, looking away.

Moving to stand in front of me, he looks into my eyes, "You're not fine and you know it. You're not only the biggest pain in my ass, you're also my best friend. I don't want to lose you," he tells me, his face serious.

"My dad is coming this evening. He'll be staying with me," I reply, my voice trailing.

"I'm glad to hear that. Listen, I have to get to the office. Jenna said to tell you that she loves you and to take care of yourself."

"Tell her thanks and you know I love you guys too. It's just so hard, Ric," I confess, dropping my eyes.

"I know. I mean, I can't know what you're feeling inside because thank God, I've never had to experience such loss but I'm here, Damon. You do know you can talk to me or to Jenna, don't you?"

"Yeah, I know. you better go, I'm going to put some hours in on the drawing board. Stefan is driving us to the airport tonight to pick up dad." After giving me a shoulder squeeze, he leaves. I watch him as he walks out of the door. Now that he's gone, I walk into my drawing room, power up the computer and then start a new pot of coffee. I refill my cup before taking a seat and begin fine tuning the new prototype that I've been working on.

Getting lost in my work, I suddenly remember my appointment with Elena. Glancing at my watch, I see it's one fifteen so I quickly save my work before running into the bathroom to wash my face and hands. Just as I'm about to step out of the building, I run into Stefan.

"Where are you going?" he asks. I can tell by the look in his eyes that he's annoyed.

"I'm just going to get some coffee. I will be back a little later. I promise that I'm not going to drink any alcohol." After giving me a long once over, he steps back allowing me to pass.

"Don't forget that we need to pick dad up," he says, reminding me.

"I'll be back around four," I utter without turning around to look back at him.

Fortunately 'Happy Dale' and the coffee joint aren't all that far from my workplace. Knowing it's several blocks though, I pick up the pace walking fast. Feeling winded when I finally arrive since I kept a swift pace all the way here, I take a moment to catch my breath before walking inside. I look around hoping to spot her and it's then that our eyes meet. For whatever reason, it feels like everyone else just fades away as Elena and I stare into each others eyes till once again someone bumps into me.

Rolling my eyes because the place isn't that busy, I'm about to snap at the person until I hear crying. Looking down, I see that it was a little boy, crying because his drink is spilled all over the floor and on the tops of my shoes. I stoop down to his level to ask him where his mother is. When he points to her table, I look up to see that she's not paying any attention to him at all which infuriates me even farther.

"I.. I'm sorry," he blubbers, tears leaking from his eyes.

"It's okay kid. It was an accident. Come on, I'll buy you another one." Knowing he's scared, I smile as I nudge him ahead of me towards Elena.

"Hi," she says softly, her eyes on the little boy. I can't help but notice the wistful, far away look in her eyes as she stares at him. I glance at the boy for a moment and then back to Elena. Just as quickly as it came, that look in her eyes is gone.

"Hi Elena, I'm glad you're here."

"I told you I'd be here," she replies, raising her eyes from the little boy to me.

"I'm just going to get him another drink. What would you like?"

"I'd like the 'Very Berry Hibiscus Cooler'."

"That sounds good. What size?"

"The trenta please," she replies, her eyes still fixed on the little guy beside me.

"I'm going to get him a new drink and then take him back to his mom's table. I'll be back shortly." With my hand pressing against the little boys back, the two us walk over to take our place in line. Fortunately the crowd is sparse today so I don't have to wait long to place my order with the barista.

Once she puts our drinks on the counter, I hand one to the little boy. "We'll take these to my lady friend over there and then I'll walk you to your mom, okay?"

He looks at me and nods with just a hint of a smile. I smile back at him when I hear the slurping sound of him sucking on the straw. Taking the other two drinks, I set them down on the table with Elena.

"I'm just going to walk him over to his mom so he doesn't spill again," I explain. After nodding at me, she picks up her drink, sticking the straw in her mouth. I can't help but stare at her till I feel a tug on my tee shirt.

"My momma is over there," he tells me, pointing to her once again.

"Okay little man, let's go." Keeping his drink clutched tightly in his little hands, I nudge him forward. When we get to her table, she doesn't even look up till I clear my throat.

She looks at me with a disgruntled look on her face. "Did you want something?"

"Yes, I have your little boy here. He spilled his drink so I bought him another one. Perhaps you should keep a closer eye on him? Did you even notice that he hadn't come back?" Although it's not my place to chastise the kid's mother, I can't help myself.

"It's really none of your business," she sneers at me.

"I made it my business when he spilled his drink on my shoes. You should pay more attention to your child. There are some not so very nice people in the world," I scold. When she rolls her eyes at me, I almost lose it but somehow manage to keep my temper in check. I shake my head and walk back over to Elena and sit down across from her.

"Stupid woman," I mumble, shaking my head.

"From what I could see, she didn't seem too concerned about the little boy. Some people just shouldn't be parents," she says, frowning.

"Are you okay, I didn't hurt you when I knocked you down?"

"I'm fine, Damon. This wasn't necessary but thank you. I don't get out much so it's a treat for me."

"Do you live at Happy Dale?" I ask, curious to learn more about her.

"I do. But I'm going to be released next month. I need to find a place to stay and get a job so I can fend for myself."

"Please tell me if I'm overstepping my bounds but do you have any family to help you out?"

"Not here. I don't want to go back to them. They put me in Happy Dale because they were ashamed of me," she reveals, a look of sadness filling her eyes for a moment. With a sad smile, she looks into my eyes again.

"I don't want to talk about them anymore. What about you, your life?" she asks.

"Well, I'm a game designer. After I flesh out an idea, I make a prototype so I can present it to companies that make the gaming systems. Mentally, it's hard work but I like the challenge. Right now my brother is working with me but he wants to spread his wings so to speak. I design the games and he meets with the buyers. I'm just not good at that sort of thing. But if he does leave, I'll have to find a replacement for him," I shudder internally at the thought.

"That's really interesting work. I've put in some applications but when they see that I've been in a mental health facility they turn me down. I really hope someone or some business will give me a chance," she says, gripping her drink cup tightly. She lowers her head to take another drink. I can't stop staring at her. I don't know what it is but there's something about this girl that draws me right to her.

"If Stefan does decide to leave, I'll be in need of someone. You seem to have pretty good people skills from what I know of you," I mention, taking a swallow of my own drink.

"You would do that for me?" she asks, her face lighting up.

"Yes."

"You'll let me know when you know, won't you?"

"I will, Elena," I tell her placing my hand over hers and when I do I feel vibrations humming along the palm of my hand. I stare at our hands for a long time, letting go only when I hear her say my name softly.

"Um, I'm sorry about that. I guess my mind was elsewhere for a little bit," I tell her honestly.

"No worries." We spend the next hour chatting about trivial things. I feel so at ease with this woman, my heart doesn't feel so heavy when I'm with her. I happen to notice what time it is when I pick up my glass to take a swallow. I almost spit it out when I see it's nearly four o'clock. I was supposed to be back by then.

"My gosh, Elena, I have to go. My dad is flying in and I need to go to the airport with my brother. Can we do this again sometime?"

Smiling widely, she nods, "I'd like that."

"Do you need a ride home? I'll have to take a cab, we can drop you off," I ask, concerned that she'll get back safely.

"It's only a few blocks. I'll walk but thanks anyway."

"You're welcome. I don't want to go but I have to. I'll be at the center tomorrow. Will I see you?"

"I don't know," she replies, shrugging her shoulders before continuing. "I hope so though."

"I hope so too but I really have to go." Standing up, I sigh and walk towards the exit, my hand on Elena's lower back. When I put my hand on the door handle, she steps to my side. I look at her, sad to see that her eyes are downcast but she doesn't notice. Swallowing thickly, I look at her one extra moment before walking out of the door. After I jump into the cab, it dawns on me that I all but offered her a job that I have no idea if she's qualified for. For whatever reason, this girl completely mesmerizes me. I'm certain Stefan would stick around long enough to train her plus he'd tell me in no uncertain terms if he felt she wasn't up to the job. Perhaps I could find something else for her if need be?

* * *

"It's so good to see you, Damon," dad tells me, pulling me into his arms before pressing a soft kiss to my hair like he used to do when I was a little boy. Truth be told, I miss having my dad around. Now that mom is gone, maybe between the two of us, Stefan and I can convince him to move here. My house is plenty big enough for him plus Stefan and Caroline live just a couple of blocks away.

"I'm glad you're here, dad," I add as soon as he lets me go.

"Stefan, Caroline," he says, greeting them with a hug as well.

"It's good to see you, too, Owen," Caroline says, smiling at him when he bends over to kiss her cheek. After we're done exchanging pleasantries, we walk over to the luggage claim area to find out which one is attached to dad's flight. Once we collect his luggage, we head out to the parking garage to go home. The airport is about an hour's drive from my house. When Stefan finally pulls up in front, I jump out so I can get dad's suitcase out of the back end. I invite Stefan and Caroline to come in to get something to eat. I can throw some omelets or something else together but Caroline is tired so they decline and go home.

Once I carry his bags in the house and upstairs into his room, I give him some privacy to change into something more comfortable. I go into my own bedroom to do the same. Feeling hungry myself, I go down to the kitchen to see if anything I have in the refrigerator looks good. I happen to notice some cold cuts and cheese so I take it out of the fridge to make some sandwiches. I'm tired and I don't feel like making anything elaborate tonight.

"I hope subs are okay. I think I need to go to the grocery store." After putting the lettuce, tomato and some salad dressing on the bread, I slice up the hoagie so we can share it.

"That's just fine, Damon. Can I help you?"

"No, I'm done. Have a seat." Knowing that he's about to get into things with me, I suck in a breath while handing him a plate and silverware. I set the sandwich on the table then go back to the refrigerator to grab some condiments. I happen to have a tub of coleslaw too. After looking to see that it isn't outdated, I grab a spoon, shove in it the container and set it on the table before taking a seat myself. I open my mouth to take a bite but stop chewing when I raise my eyes to see my dad staring at me. Grabbing my water, I swallow it down quickly after I finish chewing my mouthful. Once I swallow it down, I notice the sad yet knowing smile on his face.

"Dad?"

Reaching over he lays his hand atop mine. "How are you really, Damon? I mean, right now you seem 'normal' but I know you, son. You're very good at masking your pain but I can see it. I just wish I knew how to help you," he says, squeezing my hand then letting it go to take a bite of his own sandwich.

"I wish you could too, dad. I just feel so lost and alone most of the time. This big empty house is like a mausoleum. I miss the energy and the joy that used to fill these rooms."

"Is there anything that makes you happy right now? What can I do to help you, Damon?" he asks again, his eyes sorrowful.

"In all honesty, the time I spend fulfilling my community service requirement is oddly pleasing to me. It feels good to help those people but once I put in all my hours, that will go away," I lament.

"Surely you can volunteer?"

"I never thought about that actually. I'll give it some thought." After finishing off the last bite of my sandwich, I clear off the table and wash the dishes while dad wipes. We spend the next hour talking and watching a little TV. When I see him trying to hide a yawn, I get up and turn off the TV.

"Come on, let's go to bed. I'm pretty tired myself," I tell him as the two of us walk up the stairs to our rooms. After pulling him into a hug, I tell him goodnight, watching while he pushes the door closed. I then go to my bedroom, collapsing on the side of the bed. My eyes focus on the picture that is sitting on top of my bedside stand. Reaching over, I press it against my chest. Unable to stop the tears that start to leak from the corners of my eyes, I lay back onto my bed, curl up as tightly as I can, all the while clutching it to me. My heart aches as if someone stuck their hand in and pulled it out through my chest wall. I'm so lost in sorrow, I don't hear my door open nor the footsteps that make their way over to me. It's only when I feel his strong arms encircle me that I realize that my dad is here, trying to make it better like he used to do so often when I was a child. Emitting a deep shuddering breath, I reach up and clasp his hand. Feeling safe in his arms, I finally let my eyes close as I fall asleep in his embrace.

* * *

 _Surprise extra update this week. Thank you so much Eva. You know I love you and appreciate you wisdom and guidance so much._

 _Thank you, all of you for your reviews, favorites and follows but an extra shout out to those of you who do take that extra couple of moments to write a review._

 _Title: 'What Becomes of the Broken Hearted' by Jimmy Ruffin_

 _I posted a one-shot, 'Love Story' on Friday. I hope some of you will give a read and review. Especially those who like to cry..._

 _'The Unforgiven' was updated Friday as well._ _'Rainy Days and Mondays' updated yesterday. I did post the final chapter of 'What If I Was Nothing' last Thursday. I hope you'll give these stories a review. They really are the life's blood for a writer._

 _Stay safe and have a lovely Sunday and a wonderful week ahead. Until next time..._


	5. Two Divided by Love

When my eyes flutter open this morning, I realize that for the first time in so very long that I've actually slept. Maybe it's because I felt safe and loved in my father's arms which are still encircling me. My dad slayed the nightmares if even for only one night. Closing my eyes, I want to revel in the feeling for a few moments longer before I have to get out of bed. I've disappointed my father many, many times in my twenty five years but he's never once ridiculed me or made me feel bad about myself. Both him and mom always took the time to explain how and why I let them down. They wanted me to learn from my mistakes and make the right decisions from that point on.

My mom died when I was twenty. It's hard to believe that five years have already passed. She had renal failure and died before they could find a compatible organ donor. All three of us, dad, myself and Stefan, we all had the tests to see if we could donate one of our kidneys. It cut to the core that none of us was a tissue match. A genuine smile forms on my lips when I feel him squeeze me even tighter. It's then that I know he's awake.

"Did you get some sleep?" he asks softly, now relaxing his arms. Reaching up, I clasp my hands around his arms.

"Dad, I.. I." Although I'm at a loss for words, I hang on because I don't want to let this feeling of being loved unconditionally to end.

"I'll do whatever you need me to do to make you feel better, Damon. I love you, son."

"I love you too, dad," I whisper, my eyes filling with moisture. Taking in a deep breath, I release my grasp on him and reach up the pinch the bridge of my nose.

"I'm scheduled to go to Happy Dale so I need to get up."

"I'll make you some breakfast while you get ready." Releasing me from his loving embrace, he sits up for a few seconds before standing. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I turn my body slightly so I can look at him. Lowering my eyes, I take his hand in mine so I can feel our connection again.

"I don't know how to thank you for last night."

"I'll always be here if you need me, Damon. You don't have to do this by yourself." Using his free hand, he clasps onto my chin, lifting it till our eyes meet. I stare at him for several moments before I nod. It's only then that he lets go so I can get ready for the day.

* * *

"Good Morning, Damon," Carol Lockwood greets me when I step into her office.

"Um. Good morning," I utter, looking around nervously. This woman kind of gives me the creeps although I don't know why. Maybe it the cougar-like aura she gives off whenever I'm nearby?

"I just came to see what assignment is for today?" Feeling my skin prickle, I step back just slightly, hoping she won't notice.

"Damon, I want you to spend the day with me."

"Um, okay but I guess I don't understand? How is spending the day with you going to fulfill my required community service?" I ask, skeptically. She raises her eyebrows at me flirtatiously so I drop my eyes. When I feel her fingers trail along my jaw line, I gasp, stepping out of her reach.

"Mrs. Lockwood, I'm not interested in whatever you're propositioning here. Not with you or anyone else for that matter," I huff indignantly.

Deviously smirking, she whispers, "If you want credit for the time you spend here you will."

"I won't be blackmailed, Mrs. Lockwood. If you have a legitimate reason for me to spend the day with you, I'm more than happy to do that but I'm not a piece of clay for you to bend and mold and use as you see fit. Either you drop this and we keep our relationship professional or I will talk to the right people at the courthouse." Not willing to bend to her demands and be used, I maintain my posture, crossing my arms over my chest. I know I've won the argument when she tightens her lips together before turning and walking away. Still stunned with her behavior, I am unable to move till my reverie is broken when I hear my name.

"Mr. Salvatore?" I turn to see April staring at me.

"Mrs. Lockwood said that if you know how to swim, you could spend the day in our gym teaching some of the younger kids that we have here."

"Yeah, I know how to swim. You have children here?"

"Yes. We're a giant conglomeration. This psychiatric hospital isn't the only thing we have on the grounds. We have a children's center. It's for children that no one wants to adopt because they have issues or aren't 'pretty', shall we say."

I shudder at the callous disregard with which she talks about some of these children. Barely able to contain my disgust for this this woman, I keep my mouth shut so I don't say anything that I live to regret.

"Please follow me," she directs, pulling the office door open, motioning for me to come.

* * *

"Children, this is Mr. Salvatore. He's going to help you with your swimming lessons today." Just then another girl joins us at the pool. She looks like she's about sixteen. Looking back at the door when I hear it squeak, I'm a bit surprised to see Mrs. Lockwood step into the pool area.

"Hi Aunt Carol." Carol gives her a tense hug as if she's doing it out of duty rather than emotion.

"Damon, this is my niece Jules. She's volunteering here to get some extra credits for school. She'll be assisting you today."

"It's nice to meet you Jules." I walk over to her and offer my hand to shake.

"You too," she gushes, teetering from one foot to the other.

"Come with me, Damon. I'll get you some swim trunks," Carol adds, motioning for me to follow her. After she hands me a pair and a few towels, she shows me to a dressing room so I can change. Once I'm changed, I suck in a breath. Here goes nothing, I think to myself as I walk back out to the pool area.

"I'm Damon. Can you tell me your names?" I ask, pointing to each child. Once introductions are done, I ask them to call me Damon.

"Why don't you all sit down at the on the pool's edge and stick your feet in." Using my arms, I motion for them to come closer. Fortunately it feels like a heated pool so I get in and do a couple of laps to get warmed up. When I'm done, I go back to the shallow end and begin my lesson.

"So. Is this your first lesson?"

"No sir," the little girl named Natalie says, shaking her head from side to side.

"Natalie right? What have you learned?"

"We haven't really learned anything. The other guy made us watch while he swam in the water. He didn't even let us get in," a boy named Nate answers.

"How are you supposed to learn if you don't get in the water?" I ask, a frown on my face.

"That's not what I'm going to do. Everyone in the water." Using my outstretched arms, again I motion with for them to join me in the water. As luck would have it, I did teach swimming lessons at the 'YMCA' when I was in high school. Once they're all in, I begin.

"I want you to put your heads in the water and blow bubbles while turning your head from side to side. This is called 'rotary breathing." I explain before lowering myself in the water, demonstrating what I want them to do.

"That's right," I praise them. "You've got it." After giving a little Down Syndrome girl a high five, I smile at her and ask, "What's your name again?"

"Anna," she answers shyly.

"Come here Anna," I take her hand and pull her close to me. "Now we're going to play 'red light, green light'. Whenever I say green light, kick as hard as you can. When I say red light, you'll stop." After showing them what I mean, we start the exercise.

"Green light." They're all kicking the legs in the water as I walk around to praise each child. "Red light." After we do this for a several minutes, I let them take a short break. If they're not used to being in the water at all, it may be tiring for some of them.

"Jules, can you grab those kick boards over there? It looks like there's enough for everyone to use one." When everyone has one, I show them how to float on their stomachs and then their backs. Jules is good with these kids too and very patient.

"Now I want you do lay on tummies on the kick board and both kick and do the 'rotary breathing'. Jules, can you demonstrate?"

"Sure," Jules answers with a smile before turning her attention back to the kids. She gets on a little bigger kick board and show them how it's done. While she's doing that, I turn to Anna to help her get on her kickboard. Soon they're all kicking and splashing.

"You're all doing great for your first lesson. Since you've got this mastered, let's try something different." Looking around the pool area, I happen to notice what looks like some pool toys. Raising myself out of the water, I walk over to see if it's anything we can use. Seeing several bean bags, I pick them up and toss them into the shallower water before getting back in.

"I want you to hold your breath, go under water and fetch the bean bags." Unable to keep from smiling at their enthusiasm, it dawns on me how good it feels inside to help these kids. Once they get bored with getting the bean bags, we toss them out of the pool.

"Hey Jules, help me pass out these noodles". The noodle is a long tubular-shaped flotation device. After the two of us give one to each child, I show them how to wrap it around their fronts and under their arms and use it to float while kicking.

"Do you need some help Anna?"

When she nods shyly, I can't help but smile. I help her wrap it around her front correctly and to raise her legs and kick. I raise my arms to wipe the water off of my face from all their kicking. By chance, I happen to notice the clock, it's nearly noon. I usually spend my time here in four hour increments. I have so thoroughly enjoyed my time with these kids.

"Damon?" Jules asks, looking at me curiously.

"I'm sorry, I was just daydreaming a little, thinking about someone that I used to know. Let's do something fun for the last minutes we have left. Jules and I will stay in the water just in case any of you get into trouble. I won't tolerate anyone drow...ni ng...," I utter, dropping my head and closing my eyes for a minute.

"Are you okay?" little Anna asks.

"I'm fine Anna. Thank you for asking. Do you want to jump into the water? I'll be right here, I promise that I won't let anything happen to you." She nods then gets out of the pool. Standing back, I raise my arms towards her so she knows that she'll be safe if she jumps to me.

"You can do it, Anna." I encourage her, still holding my arms out. And when she jumps in, she's literally glowing with happiness when I catch her. I can't help but give her a hug.

"I'm proud of you, Anna." Her smile is as wide as the Grand Canyon which warms me on the inside.

"Great job, Anna," Jules gushes, praising her too.

"It's time to get out of the water now," someone says, interrupting our fun.

"Do we have to?" Nate asks.

"Yes, you do. It's lunch time. Before you go to the dining room, you'll need to clean up this damn mess and change your clothes," he sneers at the kids.

"There's no need for you to be so rude to them. I'll gladly clean up the mess. Go on kids, you can change and go eat. I hope we can do this again," I add, hoping it's true.

* * *

After showering the chlorine off of me in the pool room, I get dressed again so I can check out for the day. When I get to the main room, I can't but look around, hoping to see Elena. I casually make my way towards the window to see if I can see her outside when I don't see her inside. Deciding what the heck, I push open the patio doors and go outside. The gardens here are beautiful. As I walk through, I see all colors of irises, tulips, pansies, among other things. I've always been partial to wildflowers because they were my mom favorites. I scan the horizon again but there's no Elena in sight so I go back inside and walk to the office so I can check out.

Just before I get to Carol's office, I smile widely when I see Elena walking in through the front door, her eyes down, glancing at a letter. I chuckle because this is how we met, neither of us paying attention to where we were going.

"Hi there," I greet her when she raises her eyes.

"Hi Damon," she says, smiling brightly. As good a mood as I am, a result from helping the children, it brightens even more now that I see her again.

"How's the job hunting?"

"I've put in some applications. I have to find something or I won't be able to afford a place to live. I just want to begin my life outside of this place," she says wistfully, lost in thought for a moment.

"Do you have access to a computer?"

"Yes, why?"

"May I?" I ask, pointing at an empty envelope in her hand. Although she looks perplexed she hands it to me. I write the URL of my company's website on it and my phone number.

"This is the website I use for my business. You can go online and fill out an application," I explain, handing it back to her. Her face brightens immediately making me feel good inside.

"Thank you so much," she squeals, taking my hand, giving it a squeeze.

"Elena, I'm sure you have things you need to do," Mrs. Lockwood says rudely, interrupting us. I can't help but notice the disgruntled look she gives Elena when she looks at her.

"Um, you're probably right," Elena replies, suddenly appearing anxious. "Goodbye Mr. Salvatore," she says, turning her back to Carol Lockwood. She gives me a look that I can't quite identify before she walks off down the corridor.

"What was that about?" I ask, a little upset that she put an end to my moment with Elena.

"None of your concern. It looks like it's time for you to leave. I'll be sure to sign you out. Goodbye Damon," she says, brushing me off. Taken aback, I watch as she doesn't hold back, swaying her hips as she walks down the same corridor that Elena just went down. It strikes me as odd. Knowing there really isn't anything I can do, I take a breath and walk out of the facility.

* * *

After leaving Happy Dale, I go back to my office to catch up on a little work. However, it didn't take much to distract me. I can't seem to shake the look that Carol Lockwood gave Elena when she saw me talking to her. I don't know where this feeling is coming from but everything in me is screaming that something untoward could be going on at that place.

It's huge, having areas for unwed mothers as well as unwanted children. The main area of the place is for people who are mentally ill. The place is built like a fortress really. There is six foot privacy fence all around the huge perimeter. The buildings and grounds encompass quite a wide swath of land. I click open another tab and go to a search engine and type in the name Happy Dale. Most of what I find is newspaper articles about the place and awards that Mrs. Lockwood has received during her tenure as director of the place. After clicking through several pages and finding nothing but glowing articles, I happen upon one that piques my interest.

The article headline is 'Accusations of Shady Activities Haunt Happy Dale'. I roll my tongue around in my mouth for a little bit just taking in that headline. It's dated from four years ago. When I click on the story, it's been purged. Damn, I think to myself, throwing my pencil against the wall. It does list the writer as one 'Andie Starr'.. On a hunch, I google her name only to find out that she's working for television station in Oklahoma City now. Tightening my lips together, I grab a piece of paper and write down all the information. Ric does have a detective on retainer at his law firm. Maybe I can convince Ric to look into this for me. Finding nothing more, I turn off my computer.

When I walk by Stefan's office, I see he's got his nose in something at his desk.

"Stefan?"

"Damon, are you already leaving for the day?"

"Yeah."

After glancing at his wrist watch, he chuckles a bit. "I guess it is that time. Wait up, I'll drop you off so you don't have to take the bus."

"Sure. Have you thought any more about staying on here with me or are you dead set on finding something else?" He picks up the can of soda on his desk top, tipping it to drink what's left. When he sets it down, he looks at me before dropping his gaze. I can see that he's tired.

"I would like you to stay, Stefan. You're good at what you do but I do want you to be happy with your career. If you hate it here as much as you claim, then I think you should look for something different. All I ask is that you stay long enough to train someone to effectively take your place," I explain, scrubbing my palm over my face.

"Wow," he blurts out, taking in this moment.

"What?"

"My big brother actually wants me to be happy! Where's the calendar, I need to write this down," he teases. "But in all seriousness, Damon. I do like my hours here. You give me a day off when I ask. I don't know if any other job would afford me that? However, I still would like to see what's out there. And if I do decide to leave, I will stay long enough to properly train my replacement." Getting out of his chair, he grabs his briefcase and walks to the door.

"You coming?" Shaking my head, I get up and follow him out of the door.

* * *

"I'm home dad," I yell when I step inside my house. Stefan was in a hurry to get home so decided not to come into the house with me to say hi to dad. When he doesn't reply, I follow the luscious aroma which leads me into the kitchen.

"Damon, have a seat." When I do, he walks over to the refrigerator to hand me a bottle of peach flavored water.

"This isn't bad. Did you buy it?"

"I did. You didn't have much for groceries in your house so I bought a few things." He looks at me for a moment before turning back to the stove to stir whatever he's cooking.

"Let me reimburse you." I reach into my back pocket and pull out my wallet.

"Absolutely not." His voice is adamant and I know from experience not to argue when he uses that tone of voice however, I don't always heed the warning.

"But dad, you shouldn't have to buy me groceries."

"It's not like I'm not going to be eating too. Put your money away, I don't want it. Why don't you go wash up. Supper should be ready by the time you get done." Sighing in defeat, I get up and go upstairs. Since I already took a shower today, I slip on a pair of pajama bottoms and tee shirt then go back downstairs. By the time I get back to the kitchen, dad is putting the food on the table.

"Have a seat." He takes a moment to wash his hands before joining me at the table.

"This is good. I haven't had your homemade spaghetti sauce in a long time. Thanks for making it for me."

"You're welcome. Now, why don't you tell me about your day." I lift up my head and look into his eyes, a big smile playing on my face.

"Given that smile, I'd venture to guess that you had a pretty good day. That's something I haven't seen in awhile. It's a good look on you, son."

"I did have a really good day. Happy Dale is a huge, huge facility. They have several buildings spread out over a few acres of land. One building is for pregnant girls. Apparently there are still families that want to hide their daughters away when they get pregnant out of wedlock? It's sad you know," I mention, looking off into space for a moment.

"Damon?"

"Sorry. They also have a building for younger children with emotional problems as well as children that no one wants to adopt. I taught a swimming lesson today." I pause for a minute, just twirling my fork in my spaghetti. When I hear a slight gasp, I look up, noticing the look on my dad's face.

"How did that go?" he asks, reaching over to squeeze my forearm comfortingly.

"Um..., I had a moment when I told them that I wouldn't tolerate anyone drowning but other than that, it was okay. The kids were so excited. Apparently their instructor before me just had them watch him swim. He never let the kids in the water at all. I think he still works there because a gruff guy came in when the lesson was over and was actually rude to them. It rankled me in all honesty."

"That doesn't sound right," dad says, putting a bite of food in his mouth.

After taking another bite of my own, I set my fork down to take a drink of water. "They all seemed like great kids, dad. But there was one little girl, Anna is her name. I think she has Down's Syndrome judging by her appearance but she was the sweetest little girl. She was so excited. When we were done with the lesson, I let them jump in and out of the water. She was so scared then so I promised her that I'd catch her. She trusted me and was so happy. You should have seen her face. It was electric if that makes any sense."

"She obviously made you smile so I think I love that little tyke already. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks dad." I give him a smile then pick up my fork and finish eating. Once we're done, I help dad clean up the dishes and put things away. After telling him goodnight, I go to my room, crawl in bed and turn on the TV for awhile. When I find my eyes drifting closed, I turn the TV and the bedside light off before burying myself in the covers and closing my eyes, still smiling about that little girl and hoping I can see both Elena and Anna again and soon.

* * *

 _Thank you Eva. I appreciate you so much. Thanks to all of you for your follows and favorites and specially big thank you to those who do take those extra few moments to write a few words._

 _Title: 'Two Divided by Love' by The Grassroots. (very oldies)_

 _I updated 'The Unforgiven' on Thursday. 'Rainy Days and Mondays' updated on Friday. Please give those a look._

 _Eva and I are hard at work on the two stories. I can't wait to get them done to share them with you all._

 _Please do remember to review. They're really what stimulates the muse._

 _As always stay safe. This time of year, driving is hazardous when the weather is bad. As a South Dakota girl, I know how to drive on icy roads but a lot of people are foolish and don't take heed. Please do stay safe. Have a wonderful day and a fabulous week ahead._


	6. Building a Mystery

When I walk into the center the next day, I take my usual route to go to the office to check in for the day. I've been thinking about little Anna all night. I am going to find out if she can be checked out of here for an afternoon. My dad and I have plans if they allow such a thing. As I get closer to the office, I can't help but notice Dr. Mikaelson and April apparently having words. I can't hear what they're saying but I can see by their body language that something isn't copacetic between the two of them. He's flailing his arms, she's poking him in the chest. Not knowing what it's about, I walk away and into Carol's office.

"Damon, good morning," Carol greets me when I step into her reception room. I'm a bit stunned to see her out here but since April is preoccupied, I shrug it off.

"Good morning to you as well. So what's on the agenda for me today?"

"Actually Damon, there really isn't anything for you to do today. You know what, no. There's actually beginner math classes for the younger kids today. You'll have to give Anna extra attention because of her condition but other that that, you'll do fine."

"About Anna..."

"Do you not want to be around her? I mean some of the other kids aren't very nice to her."

"No, no... that's not it at all. I was thinking she probably doesn't get out much attention. I'd like to sign her out for an afternoon to go to the zoo or something with me and my dad."

"Really?"

Shoving my hands into my pockets, I raise my eyes to her again. "Yes."

"If you're serious, yes, children can be signed out."

"What about her parents?"

"Anna was abandoned. She has no parents."

"That's sad but I do remember you telling me that some of these kids have been abandoned." Shaking my head, I drop my eyes for a moment.

"She seems like a really sweet little girl." Sighing heavily, I wonder why something like that would happen. I could understand her being given up for adoption given her special needs and all but to just abandon her.

"In that, I happen to agree with you, Damon. She is a very sweet child. But let's get you to the classroom now." Motioning for me to follow her, we walk out of her office.

"Did you enjoy the swimming lessons the other day? The kids sure seemed to enjoy you. They haven't stopped talking about it."

"I did. I would love to do that again sometime."

"I'll see what I can do." When we walk through the atrium, I glance to my right. Dr. Mikaelson and April aren't here right now but his office door is open. When Mrs. Lockwood leads me past it towards an empty classroom, I look inside to see them still going at it. Just as the two of us step into the empty room, I hear Nick's door slam shut. There's something about this place that causes the hairs on my neck to stand on end. I'll just have to keep my eyes open and my mouth shut for the time being.

Those books piled on top of the desk are for you to hand out when the kids arrive. They should be here shortly actually. Stop in my office when you're done for the day. I'll give you the paperwork you'll need to fill out to take Anna out on a day pass."

"I will, thank you Mrs. Lockwood."

"Please call me Carol. You have a good day now," she smiles, raising her eyebrows a little too flirtatiously before she turns her back to me and sashays out of the room.

* * *

I spent all day trying to teach the kids how to read. Most of the children were quite young. I didn't actually ask them to tell me how old they were but I did put some simple plus and minus equations on the chalk board so I'd have an idea of what they already know. As Carol predicted, Anna did need extra help but I was really proud of her when she got some of the answers right on her own. I couldn't have been happier actually.

When we were done with that lesson, I found a story book that was inadvertently mixed in with the math text books so we had story time. That was the best part of the day honestly because I hate math... I know it's a big part of my business but I still don't like it.

Glancing at my watch, I see that it's lunch time so I just walk to the cafeteria to see what's on the menu for today. Not seeing much of anything that catches my eye, I opt for the salad bar. Once I have what I want, I go cashier to pay for it.

"Mr. Salvatore, how are you?" Luke asks, taking my salad and putting it on the scale. Apparently they charge by the pound.

"Not too bad, Luke. Yourself?"

Smiling, he rings up my purchase, turning back to hand me my change. "Your cooking got a lot of compliments, let me tell you. I do hope they'll let you cook for us again."

"I guess that's up to Mrs. Lockwood. I did enjoy it too. You take care of yourself and say hello to Rose for me," I tell him as I hand him a ten dollar bill from my wallet.

"You mean you haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Rose, she's dead."

Stunned, my mouth drops momentarily. Still in shock, all I can do is give him my sympathy. "I'm sorry Luke. I had no idea."

"Yeah, I'll talk to you about it another time." When I notice the reticent look on his face, I look up to see that he's staring at April, who's in front of the dessert stand. She's giving him a nasty glare. Not wanting to get him in any trouble, I tell him to keep the change. Once I find a secluded table, I sit down and start to eat my food. I never thought I'd begin to enjoy working here so much. I have especially enjoyed the time I get to spend with the children. Who knew? I also enjoyed cooking that day with look and Rose. I wonder what on Earth could've happened to her?

I'm going to have to look on the internet when I get out of here to see if I can find out anything about her. Of course, I don't know her last name so I don't know if I'll be successful in that endeavor or not. Obviously the way April was glaring maliciously at Luke, I really can't go back and ask him about her last name.

When I'm done, I go back to the classroom to teach the afternoon class. These kids are a little older so the class was easier for me. They're bright kids and I don't understand why they're here other than the fact that they're older and I suppose no one wants to adopt them? I just don't know. Once I get the books collected and piled back on the desk, I turn out the lights and pull the door shut. Walking through the atrium, I happen to notice the clock again. It's not quite time to check out yet so I decide to go outside and look at the gardens.

Pushing the doors open, I reach into my pocket to pull my sunglasses out. After putting them on, I start to walk down the path, amazed that the array of flowers and plant life that is growing here. I'd like to meet their gardener. When I see the sunflowers, I walk over to them, bending over slightly to take a whiff. I love how fresh and full of sunshine they smell. It's only when I hear my name that I stand up and turn around.

"Damon?"

"Elena, hi."

"It's nice to see you," she says, smiling.

"You too. I actually walked out here hoping to catch sight of you. Obviously I chose wisely."

"Um, do you know anymore about that job?" she asks, teetering from one foot to the other.

"Elena, I will have a job for you. I don't know if it'll be Stefan's yet because he's still deciding what he's going to do. But I will find a place for you so don't worry about it, okay?"

"Thank you so much," she says wrapping her arms around my neck. Too stunned to do anything for several seconds, I finally bring my arms around and pat her back gently. Out of my peripheral vision, I once again notice April leering out of the window at me. What is with her today? Something is amiss at this facility and I intend to find out what exactly that is..

Pulling away, I smile at her again. "Listen, I have to go to talk to Carol Lockwood about something so I need to get going." Reaching into my wallet, I pull out one of my business cards.

"My work number and email is on here." After taking my pen out of my shirt pocket, I write my personal cell phone number on the back. After handing the card to her, I let my hand linger on hers for several moments.

"This is my cell number. Call me okay?"

"I will. Thank you, Damon. I appreciate this more than you know." I hear a sharp intake of breath when I notice that Elena has seen April too.

"Are you afraid of her?"

"I can't talk about it with her nearby. I really need to go, I'll be in touch." Immediately she hurries away, almost in a frenzied manner.

"I'll be in touch," I mumble quietly as I watch her walk away till she disappears from sight. When I walk back inside, I look around but I don't see April. As I walk towards Carol's office, I discreetly look around trying to see if she is still hovering. After pulling Carol's office door open, I'm a bit taken aback when I see April sitting at her desk, engrossed in whatever she's doing. So much so that she doesn't bother to look up when I walk into the room. Whether she's ignoring me or that she didn't hear me, I don't know so I clear my throat hoping to get her attention.

"Damon, how can I help you?" she asks, her voice saccharine sounding.

"Carol asked me to stop before I leave to go over some things with me."

"I'll let her know that you're here. Have a seat." After pointing towards the chairs, she drops her eyes back to whatever she's engaged in.

When I hear my name, I look up to see Carol motioning for me to join her using a come hither motion with her hand. Standing up, I walk into her office and sit down on one of the chairs in front of her desk.

"Here's the paperwork you'll need to fill out to take Anna out on pass. You can take it home with you and bring it back the next time you come in. Did you happen to mention anything to her?"

"No, I didn't say anything to her yet. I didn't want her to get excited and then have it fall through if something unforeseen would happen to arise. I'm scheduled to be here again on Friday. Can my dad and I take her to the zoo on Saturday if I get these back to you?"

"If Anna wants to go out, by all means you can pick her up Saturday. You'll need to have the papers filled out though," she cautions me.

"Thank you Carol. I'm actually looking forward to it. I'll see you on Friday." After shaking her hand, I get up to leave. She doesn't say anything as I walk towards the door. Pulling it ajar, I turn around for a moment.

"I'll make sure that I have these back by Friday. Have a nice evening."

"Goodbye Damon."

With a nod, I slip through the door and pull it closed behind me. I just stand there for a few moments reflecting on the weird vibes this place is giving me today. Unable to shake the feeling but knowing I'm helpless to do anything, I begin to walk towards the bus stop.

* * *

"Hello Damon," my dad greets me when I step into the house.

After picking up the mail to thumb through it, I raise my eyes to his. "Hi dad."

"How was your day? Did you remember to ask about the little girl?"

"I actually taught some simple math and reading skills. Dad, I'm not a teacher. I mean, I knew what I was doing, these were kids but I have no teaching certificate."

"Obviously if they were having you do it all the time, I would object if I were you. However, it was only one day. I don't think you need to be concerned about it."

"Surprisingly, I loved teaching them swimming lessons but I don't feel comfortable teaching school work. But I guess you're right, one day isn't going to ruin them."

Laughing, he uses his hand to raise my chin to look at him. "Parents do homeschool their children, Damon. They don't have a teaching certificate either. You love children, you won't ruin them."

Sucking in a breath, I stare for a few seconds before nodding. "You mentioned Anna. I did talk to Carol Lockwood about taking her out on a day pass. She gave me these papers to fill out. I thought maybe the two of us could take her to the zoo."

"That's a phenomenal idea. I would love to join you. I'm very proud of you, Damon."

"Don't dad." Unable to maintain eye contact with him, I drop my chin onto my chest, shaking my head back and forth. When I look up, I sigh softly.

"I'm going to take a shower."

"Alright. I'm going to start supper." I feel his gaze on me as I slowly march up the stairs, finally escaping it when I get to the top of the staircase and walk into my room. I sit down at the edge of the bed, dropping my face into my hands just as my tears start to erupt. I feel so empty inside at times. Some days are far worse than others but there isn't a day that I don't feel the sting of emptiness. Expelling a breath, I finally drag myself off of the bed and into the shower. Once I peel off my clothes I step inside, turning the water on full blast.

Dropping my eyes, I stand there as the hot water pummels my skin, releasing the stress of the day. Several minutes later, I reach for the shower gel with one hand and pour a generous dollop of it into my other hand. Once I set it down, I lather up my body, starting with my ankles, I work my way up to my groin and belly before pressing my palms against my chest, scrubbing it too.

After washing my face and hair, I turn the water off and step out. Wrapping one towel around my waist and a second on around my head, I step back into my bedroom to find a comfortable pair of shorts and a tee shirt. After hanging the towels on the towel rack, I jog down the stairs.

When I get to the kitchen, I'm a bit surprised to see that Ric is here. "Hey." Walking to the refrigerator, I open it, grabbing a bottle of water.

"Hi. I just stopped over to see how things are? I haven't talked to you for several days."

"I have my ups and downs, Ric. As I was telling my dad, I am actually enjoying the time I spend at Happy Dale. I may even check into volunteering when my sentence is complete." I chuckle a little when I see the stunned look on his face.

"Who woulda thunk it," I add, taking a swallow of my water.

"That is a bit of a shock," he laughs, taking a sip from his own water bottle.

"Sorry, I don't have anything stronger. The reason being, dad threw it all out." I don't miss the look that he and dad share. Although it irritates me a little bit, being treated like a child in some respects, I know they only mean well. How can I fault them for caring? Dropping my eyes for a moment, I raise them only when Ric starts to talk again.

"How are you doing with that?" He shares a second quick glance with my dad before looking at me again.

"Honestly Ric, I've been so busy between work and the center, I haven't given it much thought. It was only after...," closing my eyes for a second, I take a breath to calm myself.

"I know buddy. Do you want to go see a ballgame or something this weekend?"

"Actually my dad and I have plans for the weekend. Rain check?"

"Sure," he says, standing up and giving my shoulder a squeeze. "I better get home. Jenna sends her love."

Nodding, "I'll walk you out." The two of us walk outside together. When we get to his car, he leans his backside against it.

"How are you really?"

"How do you think I am? The emptiness is like acid eating me from the inside out. I'm trying, Ric."

"One day at a time, okay?" he adds as he slides into the driver's seat. Once the engine flares to life, he backs out of the driveway, pausing a moment, only driving away when I bob my head up and down.

After dad and I finish eating, I excuse myself to go to my office on the pretext of doing some work. Curious as to why Rose died, I turn on my computer and start to see if I can find anything about a death at Happy Dale. I don't even know if she actually died on site.

* * *

I go to the search engine and type in Rose died. Lots of women named Rose but most of the obituaries are for senior citizens. Unable to find anything this way, I type in 'Happy Dale'.

Again I get zilch when I push enter. I drop my chin onto my palm as I try to think of what to type into the search engine. Although my office door is ajar, I don't even hear my dad come in till I hear his voice.

"I brought you some desert." After handing me a bowl of ice cream, he sits down.

Taking it from him, I take a bite, savoring the taste. "Thanks dad, it's good."

"It's homemade. I hadn't had homemade ice cream in about a hundred years so I figured, what the heck."

Taking another bite of the creamy goodness, enjoying the flavor as it goes down my throat. I practically moan it's so good. "I definitely approve."

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know what it is dad but something about Happy Dale makes my skin prickle. It's probably nothing but I just can't shake the feeling that something isn't right about the place.

After setting his empty bowl down, he stands up to look at the computer monitor. "Have you seen anything, heard anything?"

"Carol Lockwood's secretary is... I don't know. She practically radiates bad vibes. Something about her gives me the creeps. I've seen her making almost threatening looks at some of the patients when I speak to them. I also saw her going at it with a doctor. I'm sure it's nothing but... The day I worked in the kitchen, there were a couple of kids that worked with me. Nice kids. I saw the young man yesterday. When I asked about the girl, he told me that she died. I just happened to turn my head and saw April glaring at Luke. April is the secretary," I add, raking my hand through my hair.

"I was trying to see if I could find anything out about Rose's death on the internet. I've come up empty in my search so far."

"Have you tried 'Happy Dale and Rose together?"

I type dad's suggestion into the search engine. Starting to feel frustrated at the lack of anything on the internet, I drop my chin to my chest. "Again nothing," I utter in frustration when that doesn't work either.

"How about woman dies at sanitarium?" Blowing out a breath of air, I type it in. My eyes widen when a couple of items do pop up this time. Clicking on one, I start to read before looking at my dad.

"You had something there dad. It doesn't show her picture but there can't be that many Rose's that died there. It says she was found unconscious in her room by one of the patients. Says she was a DOA at the hospital and that an autopsy is planned."

"Well Damon, it sounds like this place has been in business for several years. If something untoward were happening there, surely they would've been closed down. However, your gut instincts are usually spot on. So I would suggest you keep your eyes open. But you need to be smart about it. Don't do anything that raises suspicions. I mean, if by the odd chance that something sinister is going on it that place, I don't want you to put the spotlight on yourself."

When I finally get to the end of the article, my mouth drops open when I get to the last line.

"What is it?" dad asks when he sees the shocked look on my face.

"It says that there have been rumblings about what goes on behind the gates of Happy Dale on and off for many years. The article says that this new death will give conspiracy theorists more ammunition. Rose is the third person to have died there in the last two years, all of them young women."

* * *

 _What do you suppose is going on at Happy Dale?_

 _Thank you Eva for everything and for cheering me up when I feel down in the dumps._

 _Thanks to all of you for reading and reviewing. I appreciate all of you so much._

 _Chapter title: 'Building a Mystery' by Sarah McLachlan_

 _I posted the final chapter of "The Unforgiven" on Thursday. Please give it a look. I really want that to reach 200 reviews. I did update 'Rainy Days and Mondays' yesterday._

 _*Please remember to leave a review*_

 _Fair warning: I work Thanksgiving eve night and Thanksgiving day night so updates may be late or nonexistent next week because although I have 'black Friday' off, but altogether I'll be working five twelve hour shifts in six nights._

 _As always, stay safe. As 9/11 and all the attacks since then have taught us, the world is a dangerous place. Have a lovely weekend and Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Americans in case I'm not able to update next week. Until next time._


	7. Last of the Wilds

I made a special trip over to Happy Dale so I could turn in the paperwork to take Anna out for a day. I can keep her out overnight if I want but I think that should wait till she gets to know me better. Hell, I don't even know if she'll like me or my dad nor do I have any idea of what her temperament is. I really hope dad and I can make the day enjoyable for her.

After turning the papers in, I go to look for her so I can tell her about my plans for Saturday. And for all I know, she may not even want to leave the facility. I'll find out soon enough. Looking around, I walk through the atrium to see if I can find her.

"Damon, I didn't know you were scheduled for today," Nick greets me, offering his hand.

"I'm not actually. I came to see little Anna. You wouldn't happen to know where she is would you?"

"She has you wrapped around her finger already too, ha?" he teases with a smile.

"I was impressed with how hard she tried when I had her in the swimming pool last week. I'm hoping to take her out on a day pass unless she doesn't want that. I certainly won't force her to do anything she doesn't want to do."

"She'll love that, Damon. I think I saw her go outside with one of the older girls. I'd check out there first. There is some playground equipment on the northwest side of the complex. You might look there."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. I'll see you soon." After watching him leave, I walk outside and look around. Not finding her, I go in the direction that he mentioned, stopping occasionally to look around. When I finally see the play area, I smile widely when I see it's Elena who's with Anna.

With a little pep in my step, I walk closer to the two of them. "Well hello ladies."

Raising her eyes, her mouth drops slightly before forming a smile. "Hi Damon. What are you doing out here?"

Without realizing it, I find myself stepping over and when I get to Elena's side. A huge smile forms on my own face as I watch Anna going forward and then backward on the swings.

"I came to talk to Miss Anna." Elena starts to slow her down, eventually stopping the swing so I can speak to her.

"How is Anna today?" She looks from me to Elena and then back to me again, almost as if she's a little frightened.

Stooping down to her level, Elena takes her hand. "Do you remember Damon? He helped you in the water."

"How did you know?"

"Anna was so excited as were most of the other kids because you actually let them get in the water."

Stooping down too, I look into her pretty brown eyes. "Anna, my dad and I would like to take you to the zoo and spend the day with you tomorrow. Would you like that?"

Looking a little unsure, she turns to look at Elena. "Zoo?"

"A zoo is where animals live. We thought maybe you'd like to go with us to look at them?"

"Animals?" she asks, her mouth hanging open a little bit.

"Yes sweetie. Animals. They have a place where you can pet them. Have you ever gotten to pet a dog or a kitty?" Without answering, she shakes her head yes.

"Would you like to go to the zoo with me?" She looks at me and then at Elena, looking excited but a little unsure too.

"Anna, Damon is a very nice man. You'll have lots of fun. And do you know what? They have ice cream at the zoo. Sometimes you can get food and they let you feed the animals with it. I promise Damon will take good care of you. He's my friend too," she explains, holding Anna's hand.

Sliding a little closer, I take her little hand in mine. "Would you come with me to the zoo?" I breathe a sigh of relief when she finally smiles and bobs her head up and down.

"How about we go to get that ice cream? Would you like to join us, Elena?" I hope she recognizes the pleading tone in my voice.

"I'd love to. Come Anna, let's go with Mr. Damon to have some ice cream." Holding out her hand for Anna to take, she grabs on, surprising me when she raises her hand for me to take too. Melting inside, I happily take a hold of her little hand again. The three of us walk back into the facility, turning towards the visitors area where they have some snack machines, one of which is for frozen treats. After buying Elena an ice cream bar and Anna a cup of ice of ice cream, I sit down and enjoy it with them. Just by happenstance I look up only to see April jump back behind the wall acting like she didn't want me to see her.

Turning to look at Elena, I use my eyes to gesture towards where April is lurking. "Be discreet but what's with her?"

"I don't see anyone," Elena replies, looking a little squeamish. I can see that she's lying but I'm not going to push her about it. I don't know that much about her yet but I want to learn. The last thing I want to do is alienate her.

"My mistake." Unable to make my eyes from hers, I take a bite of my drumstick.

"Ice cream good," Anna squeaks, her face and hands covered by the time she's done.

"Anna, let's get you washed up, okay?" She nods her head up and down as she stands up.

"I have to go to my office now. I'll be here in the morning to pick her up. And I'll see you tomorrow Anna. And thank you again Elena. I'll talk to you soon."

"What time in the morning, Damon? I mean so I can have her ready."

"Say nine?" She shakes her head slightly.

"Bye now." Turning around, I walk away, stopping momentarily when I get to the lounge door. I turn around, watching as Elena takes Anna's hand and walks her towards the restroom. Unable to keep a smile off of my face, I watch till they disappear then I pick up the pace and leave the building.

* * *

The next morning dad and I are up bright and early. I have no idea what Anna likes or anything about her behavior. There's nothing like baptism by fire as they say. The sun is shining brightly today and it's hot so I made sure to run into the drug store to grab a bottle of sunscreen. That last thing I want is for her to get sunburned.

Dad has to drive since I don't have my license back yet. Once we get there, he pulls into the parking lot. After turning the car off, the two of us get out of the car and walk into the facility. I take the opportunity to show dad around the place.

"This place is really mammoth," he remarks, looking in all directions.

"Yeah, it really is," I agree, motioning for him to follow me. It's Saturday so the office is closed so I walk to the weekend reception desk. Hopefully they've been informed of my plans with Anna today.

"Can I help you sir?"

"Yes you can. My name is Damon Salvatore. I made arrangements to take Anna out for the day."

"Oh yes, Mrs. Lockwood left me a note. She said the paperwork was in order. I'll just call over to her building so someone can bring her here for you."

"Thank you. We'll just sit down over there." Pointing to the chairs in the atrium, dad and I walk over to take a seat.

"The atmosphere is nice here. I mean the design and the colors are esthetically pleasing," dad mentions, pointing to wall of glass that leads out into the gardens. Just as dad stands up to go look at the gardens, I notice Elena walking towards us, holding Anna's hand. They're both smiling as they approach me.

"Hi Mr. Damon," Anna greets me. She looks so cute in a little pink sundress and pigtails.

"Good morning Miss Anna. And good morning to you Miss Elena." She's a sight in her own summery dress.

"Hi Damon. She's ready and very excited." Stooping down to Anna's level, she whispers something in Anna's ear. Anna smiles widely, lets go of Elena's hand and shyly offers her hand to me.

Clutching her hand gently in mine, I breathe a sigh of relief. I open my mouth to speak when my dad walks back, coming to stand beside me.

"Oh and here's a bag with a few things for her. A bib and some extra panties. She has accidents once in awhile," Elena says softly.

"Thanks for letting me know. I'll make it a point to ask her if she needs to go." I then turn to my dad to introduce them to him.

"Elena, Miss Anna, this is my dad, Owen."

"Ladies, it's a pleasure," he says with a wink.

Offering her hand, Elena smiles widely at him. "It's nice to meet you sir." Dad takes it gently, pressing a kiss to the top of it causing Elena's cheeks to flush a beautiful shade of pink.

Turning to me, she teases, "It's obvious now where your innate charm came from."

"Oh Elena, I was going to ask you... Do you have any computer skills? One of my computer technicians is getting married and moving out of state. I just found out a couple of days ago."

"Yes, I've been studying computers since I got here. I've been taking online college classes plus I also take a couple of classes at the community college down the street."

"Maybe next week you can come down to my office? I can show you around and introduce you to my brother and the rest of my staff."

"That would be wonderful Damon. Thank you."

"No problem. I have to be here Monday so perhaps Tuesday?"

"That sounds perfect. What time should I come?"

"What time works for you?"

"Say one o'clock?"

"That works. Thanks for getting Anna ready. We should get going now, it's a good hour and a half drive to the zoo. I'll see you next week." Anna and I wave goodbye, me with a silly grin on my face.

"Bye Anna. You'll have to tell me all about it tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay Ewena," Anna says, still waving goodbye to her friend. After dad says goodbye to her, I lip goodbye once more then the three of us turn around and walk out of the facility.

* * *

Anna is a tiny girl for six years old. I'm really glad I remembered to stop at the rental place to get a car seat for the day. I may have to buy one if today works out because if it does, I plan to take her out more. I'll just have to see how it goes. I opt to get in the back seat with her so I can keep her occupied. I don't know how much of an attention span she has.

I set the GPS so dad won't get lost driving us to the zoo. He makes good time because we arrive in about seventy five minutes rather than the ninety minutes the drive usually takes. Once dad finds a parking spot, I help Anna out of the car seat and take her hand. The three of us make our way to the gait so I can buy our tickets. After they stamp our hands so we can come and go without having to pay again, we walk into the visitors center. This zoo has a huge display of stuffed Animals. They were donated to the zoo a couple of decades ago.

Anna's mouth is hanging almost wide open as she takes in the sights. "Elphant," she says, pointing at a big African one.

"See there Anna, there's an Indian Elephant too. Do you know how to tell the difference?" When she shakes her head no, I point to the African elephant, telling her to look at how big his ears are. I do the same for the Indian elephant, this time showing her this elephant's smaller ears.

"Me see," she squeaks, looking back and forth between the two species.

"Do you like animals?" I wonder if she'd like my cat, DC. It's short for 'damn cat', but I love the old creature. After we go through the exhibits, we walk outside so we can see the real live animals. Anna starts squealing excitedly when a she sees a giraffe's head sticking up.

"We'll go see him." Dad takes one of her hands while I take the other and we lead her around the trail. We stop to view all the different species of antelope before making our way to see the rhinoceros and hippo enclosures. She so excited and I'm so excited to be showing her these things. After we walk around for about an hour, I stoop down to ask her if she has to go potty. Shaking her head yes, I take her by the hand and walk into the family restroom with her. I place once of the disposable seat covers and then lift her up so she can go. I turn my back while I wait for her to go. It takes a few seconds but I hear the tinkle. When I hear it stop, I turn around just as she stands up to pull her panties up. Together we wash her hands then go back out to find my dad.

I don't see him right away but then he appears, carrying drinks with him. I take the smaller one and give it to Anna before taking one for myself. We take a seat on one of the benches, just watching people for awhile.

After giving me an approving look, he turns to face Anna. "Are you having fun Anna?"

"Ah ha, me having lots fun," she says, slurping on her straw.

"We still have a lot to see. The lions and tigers and gorillas," I tell her animatedly, just as excited as she is. When we finish our drinks, we all get up and move on to the big cat exhibit. I lift her in my arms so she can see over the fencing. I practically melt when wraps her little arms around my neck while keeping her eyes on the animals, her mouth agape, completely in awe of what she's seeing today.

The gorilla enclosure is ground level, they have viewing areas so we don't have to look down at them. They're regal creatures too. I loved it when my mom and dad took me to the zoo when Stefan and I were little fellas. I stoop down and point out the gorillas to her as they sit in the grass just minding their own business. "Gwilla?"

"I think we should go to see the monkeys now."" Knowing that all kids love to watch the monkey's hijinks, I look down, watching as she nods excitedly. I pick her up again and the three of us make our way to the monkey house. There's all kinds of species in here. It's big. We watch the spider monkeys play for little while before stepping over to watch the chimpanzees. After that we see the orangutans, Mandrills and Tamarin's.

We make a conscious effort to walk into the petting zoo. There's a couple of baby goats, a donkey, a llama and an alpaca. There's even a kangaroo. I hold Anna's hand while she strokes the miniature donkey with her other hand. Her smile is practically ear to ear. I buy a little bag of food from the attendant. Opening up her hand, I pour a little in it so the donkey can eat it up. She squeals excitedly as it tongues the palm of her hand. We spent a good half an hour in here before moving on to the next exhibit.

Dad likes reptiles so we did walk through the reptile house but I think she was a little scared because she buried her head in my neck, only peering out occasionally. "You don't have to be scared honey. They can't get out," I reassure her, hugging her close. When we walk out of there, we head towards the bears. Her mouth drops open as she watches the polar bears frolicking in the pool that's in their pen. From there we move on to see the seals and sea lions where we take a seat to watch the show. She's completely enthralled with them too.

"Dad, can you watch her for a little bit? I'm going to go to the bathroom."

"Need you ask?" he scoffs. "Anna and I are buddies, aren't we sweetheart?"

"Buddies," she answers, nodding animatedly.

"I'll be right back." Shaking my head jovially, I walk off to look for a bathroom. There was a line to the men's room and I finally get back about fifteen minutes later. I look around but I don't see them. Feeling a little panicked, I start walking through the crowd to see if I can find them. Finally I see them standing in line at a concession stand. They really hadn't wandered very far away, I just didn't see them. Dad is holding her hand securely. I know he'd never let anything happen to her but still, I shake my head, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Here you are. I was a little scared."

"I'm sorry Damon. She said she was hungry. I thought maybe she'd like a hot dog. Do you want one?"

Nodding, I pick Anna up and stand beside him. He has her bag over his shoulder. Once he gets to the counter, I step back till they have our food together. I help him carry it with my free hand. Luckily we find an empty table so the three of us can eat without getting bumped into. When I notice Anna yawning, I'm thinking it's time for us to call it a day.

"Are you tired Anna?" She nods, yawning deeply.

"Do you have to go potty?" When she says yes, I take her hand to use the bathroom again. Her little panties are a little wet so I help her put on a clean one, wrapping the soiled on in the baggie that Elena must've put in there for such an occurrence. Once I help her wash her hands, we go back to my dad.

"What about the wolves and the coyotes? We have to see them and the raptor enclosure, then we can leave," dad says in a rather insistent tone. Chuckling, I nod my head. After disposing of our garbage, we continue on the trail till those displays. Anna is sound asleep, her head on my shoulder as we continue to walk the trail. Once dad has had his fill of the Bald eagles, vultures and hawks, we start to walk back to the car.

"Let's go in the gift shop before we leave. I want to get her a souvenir to remember today."

"That's a great idea, Damon," he agrees, following me into the store. We look around and decide on a tee shirt. I pick up a matching one for Elena, hoping it'll fit her. Plus dad purchases a stuffed seal for her. It's almost six in the evening by the time we finally get to the car. It's been a long, hot afternoon so I'm really glad I remembered to put sunscreen on her. I carefully set her in the car seat and secure her. Since she's sleeping quietly, I crawl into the passenger seat beside my dad.

As we're driving, I can't help but notice the dark clouds moving in. In no time, lightening is flashing and thunder is roaring and then the rain begins to come down in sheets. I'm sure glad the weather waited till now to turn. Dad has to slow way down because the force of the rain coming down is making it difficult to see even with the wipers on high. Suddenly the traffic on the interstate just stops.

"Damon," he says, his voice even but I can see the fear in his face when he points to the funnel cloud just to the west of us.

"We have to get to safety." He points to the overpass just ahead of us. Jumping out of the car, I crawl into the back seat, reaching for the blanket that's in the back end of my SUV. I quickly get Anna out of her car seat, wrap her in the blanket then the three of us run under the overpass, hoping the concrete enclosure will keep us safe. We're only three of many who were obviously hoping for the same.

When I hear her start to cry, I cradle her face and body against mine, whispering that dad and I won't let anything happen to her.

"Scared," she blubbers as the tears flow down her cheeks. All I can do is hold her. Suddenly there's a short stillness before the wind whips up, the roar thunderous just before debris starts flying all around us. The three of us huddle together with the rest of the crowd. I feel something slam into my back causing me to gasp but I won't let go of Anna.

We have her sandwiched between us, hoping to keep her warm and dry while the two of us are getting drenched. Although it seems like half a life time before it finally blows over, the rain is still coming down steadily but not in buckets like it was earlier. Glancing around, I see some cars overturned. Fortunately mine isn't one of them but I think it'll be awhile before the interstate is cleared enough for us to continue the drive home.

"Anna honey, are you okay?" Dad and I pull apart a little bit to give her a little room. Her eyes are wide and full of fear. As soon as she can move her little arms, she wraps then around my neck, burying her head in the space between my neck and my shoulder.

"How about you dad? Are you okay?" I use my free arm, running it down one of his arms and then the next.

"I'm fine, Damon. Let's get back to the car."

"Yeah, at least we can turn the heater on a little bit so we can dry off." We walk back to the car, I'm stunned to see the damage. The barn that was standing a few minutes ago is now rubble. Since we can't drive anywhere yet, I jump into the passenger side, keeping Anna on my lap because she's still whimpering.

"It's okay sweetie. We'll get you home safely." I press a kiss to the top of her head, rocking her gently in my arms. It doesn't take long for her to fall back to sleep. Her mouth hangs open a little as she's snuggled against my chest. I almost feel like the 'Grinch who Stole Christmas' when his heart grew three sizes that day. We sit for about an hour and a half before traffic finally picks up. It's nearly nine in the evening by the time dad pulls up to Happy Dale. Anna has been sleeping nearly all the way home, only waking now when the car stops.

"We're home little girl." Jumping out of the car, pull open the back door so I can pick her up to take her inside. Dad grabs her seal, the tee shirts and her bag and together we walk to the door. I try opening it but it's locked which is understandable given the time. I push the doorbell and we wait for someone to let us in. My eyes widen when it's Elena who's standing in front of me.

"Thank God you're alright. I heard about the tornado on the news."

"Yeah, it was pretty scary," I admit, rubbing Anna's back gently with my palm.

"Is she okay?" Elena asks, clearly concerned.

"She got pretty scared but dad and I managed to keep her dry. Listen, I'm sorry it's so late but a few cars were overturned and we had to wait for the highway to clear."

"As long as you're safe, I don't care."

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. Please come in." Stepping aside, she holds the door open, allowing us to pass through.

"I can carry her to her room if you lead the way."

"Damon, I'll just wait here for you," dad interrupts.

"I won't be long." Elena leads me into the atrium and out the sliding glass doors, down the path to the building that's near the play area. She pulls the door open, again stepping aside so I can get through. Placing her fingers to her lips, she gestures for me to be quiet as we walk through into the place and up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, she goes into the first room on the right. It's pretty big with a twin bed and a full-sized bed.

"Lay her down there," she says, pointing to bigger bed. "I'll let her sleep by me tonight."

"This is your building too?"

"Yes. The, children stay here too but when Carol Lockwood witnessed some of the kids taunts, she said that Anna could bunk with me. Some kids aren't very nice, you know?"

"I hate that." Running my fingers wispily long her cheek, I stooping over to press a little kiss to her hair and whisper goodbye. She stirs just slightly but doesn't open her eyes.

"I should go, dad's waiting."

"I'll walk you to the door." Nodding, I follow her downstairs. She steps outside, pulling the door closed behind her.

"Thank you for doing this for her. I'm sure I'll never hear the end of it but that's okay. I'll see you Tuesday." Unable to take my own eyes off of hers, I lean forward, stopping just before our lips touch. When our eyes meet, I raise my hands to palm her face, pulling her lips to mine. I tilt her head just slightly as our lips mold and slide in perfect harmony with each other. Feeling her tongue tease my lips, I open my mouth, letting our tongues meet as well. Pulling back breathlessly, I raise my fingers to touch my lips, my eyes dancing with joy.

"Goodnight Damon," she whispers.

"Goodnight Elena." Walking backwards, I watch till she steps into the building and closes the door. With a little skip in my step, I turn around to walk back to my dad, remembering now what happiness feels like.

* * *

 _Their first kiss..._

 _Thank you so much Eva so much. Thank you so much for everything you do for me. I love you._

 _Thank you all so much too for the reviews, follows and favorites. You have no idea how much I appreciate them._

 _Chapter title: 'Last of the Wilds' by Nightwish._

 _Consider this, this weeks update. I have a whole slew of work shifts coming up. I have worked twelve hour nights for a long time but I still get the yawnies. I'm always the most tired around five thirty-six thirty in the morning for whatever reason._

 _I did update 'Rainy Days and Mondays' yesterday. Please give it a look. Remember to click that *review* button._

 _Happy Thanksgiving to my American Friends. Stay safe and I hope you all have a lovely day. Until next time..._


	8. Crimson and Clover

Awakened by the sun streaming through the gaps in the curtains, I turn onto my back and stretch my muscles. I feel kind of achy and my head is stuffy this morning. When I feel a tickle, I quickly reach for a tissue, sneezing soundly. A second and then a third follow. After wiping my runny nose, I sit up and start to sneeze some more. Sighing, I get up to into the bathroom. Feeling a chill, I decide to take a nice hot, steamy bath instead of a shower. Reach for a bottle of shower gel, I squeeze some into the running water before agitating it with my hand to form some bubbles. Standing up, I take off my boxers and step in and sink down into the water. Laying my head back, I close my eyes, enjoying the feel of the hot water on my body.

When I hear a knock on the bathroom door, I lurch forward, having dozed off for a little while. I'm covered by bath water so I tell dad to come in. There's no one else it could be.

"Damon?" he asks, peaking his head through the door.

"Did you want something, dad?"

"No, I just wanted to tell you that Stefan and Caroline are downstairs. They came to take us out to lunch. You up for that?"

"I think I caught a cold from getting soaked to the bone yesterday. My head feels stuffed up but I am hungry so I'll go along." I chuckle slightly when he sneezes himself.

"You too?"

"I think so. But you know what, I wouldn't trade yesterday for anything. I had a great time with you and Anna. She's adorable and I like zoos myself," he laughs. "I'll leave you alone now so you can finish up and get dressed."

"I had a really good time too, dad. It's nice to take my mind off... once in awhile," I admit, looking at him sadly. He shares a sad smile with me before pulling the door closed, leaving me in my melancholy.

* * *

"This is a nice treat, thank you Stefan." Dad gives my brother a nod before taking a sip of his coffee. Stefan and Caroline took us to a buffet for lunch. It was nice of them to do so. Despite my cold, I am actually hungry.

"Dad, I have a question to ask you."

"Sure Damon, go ahead." After sticking a piece of roast beef in his mouth, his eyes meet mine. After swallowing down my bite of food, I wipe my mouth off.

Although a little hesitant, I set my water glass down before beginning. "I was wondering and I'm sure Stefan feels the same..."

He sets his fork down and urges me to continue. "Go on."

"The two of us, actually three with Caroline would like you to consider moving here. Lord knows my house has plenty of room now..."

"I agree with Damon wholeheartedly. Plus there's another reason for you to relocate," Stefan adds, turning to stare at Caroline while squeezing her hand. I wonder what he's about to spring.

"First though," he begins, turning his eyes to mine.

"Damon. I'm going to stay on with you. You're generous with my salary and you let me set my own hours pretty much."

Nodding appreciatively, I breathe an inner sigh of relief. "Stefan, thank you."

"And there's also the fact that Caroline is pregnant," he gushes, dropping a kiss to her lips. I'm stunned. That's the last news I expected to hear today.

"Tha.. th... that's great. Congratulations." Reaching over, I shake his hand while my dad stares at me for a moment.

"That is indeed wonderful news, son." I can see that dad is happy with the prospect of being a grandfather.

"I just don't think I should quit my job now. Are you okay with that?" Stefan asks, looking at me tentatively.

"Of course. You know I want you to stay. Yes, we'll continue to butt heads but you're my brother Stefan. I couldn't have kept my business afloat without you."

"Thank you, brother." He places his hand atop mine briefly, nodding approvingly. Wanting to change the subject I look at dad again.

"So dad, will you give relocating some thought?"

"I will, Damon. For you, I will." He wraps an arm around my shoulder and pulls me close for a moment.

"Let's finish eating now, shall we?"

"Yes." Taking a needed breath of air, I get up to go get myself some dessert. Pausing a little by the machine, I stare at nothing for a few moments till someone accidentally bumps into me. Shaken from my reverie, I take my turn at the ice cream machine, filling a bowl with vanilla. After putting a number of toppings on it, I slowly walk back to our table. By the time everyone is finished, we're all stuffed. We say goodbye when we get out to the parking lot.

Walking over to Caroline, I pull her into a hug. "Congratulations. I'm happy for you."

"Thank you," she whispers, pressing a light kiss to my cheek. When dad starts the ignition, I jump into the passenger seat, buckling my seatbelt just as dad starts to back out and pull out into traffic, heading south towards home.

* * *

"Good morning Damon," April greets me when I step into the Happy Dale office Monday morning.

"Morning." My voice is nasally-sounding due to my cold. I walk over to the coffee maker to pour myself a cup, hoping the hot liquid will warm me up. When I start sneezing, I reach for some of the napkins to wipe off my nose.

After observing me for a few seconds, she furrows her brows skeptically. "You look a little green? Are you sick?"

"I caught a cold. My dad and I got caught in that torrential downpour on Saturday."

"Anna was with you that day right?"

"Yes, we got caught in the bad weather but my dad and I did our best to keep her dry. She is okay isn't she? I'd feel terrible if she got sick."

"Mrs. Lockwood told me that she hasn't stopped talking about it."

Sighing in relief, "I'm glad to hear that."

Forcing a smile on her face, she continues, "And I guess those things, I mean like bad weather can happen. I think maybe you should stay away from people today if you're sick though. And you're in luck. Our groundskeeper called off today. You can mow the grounds and do some weeding can't you?"

"Yeah, I can do some weeding. The grounds here are massive though," I utter, looking a little less than enthusiastic.

"We have a riding mower, Damon."

Relieved, my posture relaxes considerably. "That's good to know."

"Follow me, I'll take you to the grounds keeper's shed. That's where the mower is. Nodding, I finish my coffee then follow her outside, sneezing several times on the way. She unlocks the shed, points out where I can get some more fuel for the mower if I need it and then leaves me to do the job. Hopping on, I turn on the engine, back out of the shed and start mowing the lawn. I get a good swath done by mid morning so I turn it off for a little while so I can refuel it and get something to drink.

Once I do that, I go back outside and hop back on the mower to finish up the grounds. When I finish, I ride the mower back to the shed and grab some things to weed the flower and vegetable patches. I spend another couple of hours weeding and watering the grounds. My nose is running like a sieve and my head hurts by the time I'm done but it feels kind of good to use my hands.

After using the bathroom and washing my hands, I go back to lock the shed and take the key back to the office so I can check out, go home and get some rest. I look all around but I don't see Elena nor Anna today much to my dismay. I feel a little light headed by the time I finally reach the office. I take a few minutes just to sit down and relax since April isn't here to check me out anyway. I notice that my arms are red with sunburn. I suppose my face is too since I didn't have any sunscreen, having left it in Anna's bag when we brought her back here Saturday evening.

"Damon, you're done. You really did a good job too. Maybe we'll have you do the grounds more often," April adds, handing me a cold bottle of Gatorade. You look a little worse for wear."

"I think I'm a bit dehydrated so I appreciate this." After taking it from her hand, I take a big swallow, enjoying the coldness as it goes down.

"It's time for you to leave anyway. I'll sign you out. Get some rest." Nodding, I turn my back on her and walk outside and to the bus stop. By the time I get home, I'm completely exhausted. I go straight upstairs, strip off my clothes and hop in the shower. When I'm done, I dry off quickly, slip into a clean pair of boxers and fall onto the bed. I fall asleep almost as soon as my head hits the pillow.

When I wake up, I glance at the clock, my eyes widening when I see that it's nearly seven in the evening. I've slept for a good three hours. Although my head is still stuffed, I do feel a little better. I wrap myself in my bathrobe and slide my slippers on then walk downstairs to see what dad is doing.

"You're awake?"

"Yeah, I just felt boneless when I got home today. I'm sorry I slept so long." After expelling a breath, I plop down, sitting beside him on the couch.

"Are you hungry?"

"Not really. My head hurts and it feels stuffy. I'm going to take something for pain before I go back to bed." Reaching over, he places his palm on my forehead.

"You have a fever. Are you sure you don't want something to eat? I made chicken noodle soup because I have a bit of a cold myself."

"Actually that does sound good."

"I'll get you some. Stay put."

"Yes sir." When he stands up, I tease him with a mock salute. He's back in no time with a supper tray. He hands it to me, making sure I have it firmly before he lets go. I set it on the end table while I get comfortable. Picking up the bowl, I stick the spoon in, blow on it and take a sip.

"It's good," I tell him, continuing to eat it.

"I certainly wasn't expecting Stefan and Caroline to tell us they were having a baby did you?"

"No... no, I didn't." My eyes drift sadly to one of the pictures on my wall. Forcing a smile, I turn to face my dad again.

"I am glad he's going to continue on at the business though." Although I try to concentrate on dad, I find myself gazing at the wall again. As soon as I hear his voice, I turn my eyes back to him.

"Are you serious about me moving here?"

"Yes dad. Despite the reason you felt you needed to come, I am glad to have you here with me. I'm sure you never expected to hear this from my mouth but I'm really happy that you're here."

"I'm glad I'm here too." Smiling, he reaches over to give my forearm a squeeze.

"I'll do some calling around tomorrow. I mean, I'll have to sell the house, pack up my things. Oh my, that'll be quite a job."

"I could close up shop for a couple of weeks. Stefan, Caroline and I could fly back to help with the packing and stuff. I'd be glad to do that, dad."

"I know you would. But let's not worry about that now. Why don't you take some aspirin and go back to bed. You still look pretty droopy." Standing up, I take my tray into the kitchen and put it in the sink. Reaching into the cupboard, I grab the aspirin bottle and swallow a couple. Yawning widely, I reach into the fridge to grab a bottle of water to take upstairs with me. I take a moment to tell my dad goodnight before going back upstairs. After dropping off my robe and kicking off my slippers, I go into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. Completely worn out, I crawl back under the covers and let the darkness eclipse the light.

* * *

"Hello Elena," I greet her, but quickly turn away so I can cover my mouth to sneeze. This cold is going to be the death of me.

"Excuse me. It seems I've come down with a summer cold." After grabbing a tissue, I turn away to blow my nose.

"No worries."

"How's Anna? I'd like to take her out again sometime. Perhaps you could join us?"

"I'd like that," she says softly.

"Well, why don't we show you aroun...," I start to say when I have to sneeze again.

"Bless you."

"Thank you Elena. Come, let me show the place and tell you a little bit about what we do here." First I take her into my office/drawing room. I have my drafting table and my computer set up on side of the room while my work desk is on the other end. I do most of my work in here. I have a refrigerator for cold water and sodas. After she looks around, running her hand along the top of my desk, I gesture for her to follow me.

"Stefan?" Reaching up, I rap on the door frame to get his attention.

"Come in." He motions with his arm for us to join him.

"Elena, this is my brother Stefan. Stefan, Elena. She's going to take Melanie's job. I wanted her to get an early start so Melanie can train her before she leaves."

"It's nice to meet you Elena." Standing up, he walks over to shake her hand.

"Stefan is in charge of public relations, I guess you might say. He meets with investors and buyers. He's really good at what he does." He smiles at me because he knows that I'm being sincere when I say that.

"Nice to meet you too." I jump slightly when I hear the crack of the door, relaxing when I see that it's Caroline.

"I wasn't expecting you, sweetheart," Stefan says, a big smile on his lips. He gets up and walks over to her, lifting a kiss from her lips.

"Elena, this is my sister in law, Caroline. Caroline, meet Elena." As soon as I introduce them, Caroline has a huge smile on her face.

"It's so nice to meet you." She takes Elena's hands in her own, giving them a squeeze. Caroline has a whirlwind personality. She's fiercely loyal and kind but God help anyone that crosses her or anyone she loves.

"We're going to be great friends Elena, I can tell."

"I hope so," Elena replies albeit a bit shyly. After we exchange pleasantries, I nudge Elena along so I can show her the rest of the building and introduce her to the rest of my employees. When we walk into Melanie's work area, I introduce the two of them. Melanie is very gracious and kind to Elena.

"Mel, can you show her around and explain what you do and stuff?"

"Sure boss. I'll take good care of her." Mel gives me a wink and starts shoving me out of the door. I can't help but smile.

"I guess Mel is saying that I need to leave you two alone. Elena, please stop in my office when Mel is through with you."

"I'll do that." I nod then walk out of the room and go back to my office. I get busy and start to do some work but I keep sneezing and my nose keeps running. Finally I give up and go to lay down on the couch that I have in here. I must've dozed off because the next thing I know, Stefan is nudging me to wake up. I open my eyes and yawn widely before breaking out in one sneeze after the next. After about six sneezes, I finally raise my eyes to my brother.

"Sorry Stefan. I just don't feel good. Could you take Elena back to 'Happy Dale'? I need to go home and take some cold medicine."

Although he covers it quickly, I don't miss the pensive, almost disapproving look that crosses his features at the mention of Happy Dale.

"I can do that. Mel said she's a quick leaner," he adds, sitting on the couch beside me. Although I sense his disapproval, I just don't have the strength to get into it with him today so I let it pass without comment.

Looking at me with concern, he gives my knee a pat. "How are you, brother?"

"I'm taking things one day at a time Stefan. There's nothing else I can do."

"I know. You know you can talk to me right?"

Bobbing my head up and down, I give his knee a squeeze and get up. "I'm going home. I have to be at Happy Dale tomorrow but I'll try to stop afterwards." He looks at me for a few seconds, squeezes my shoulder then walks out of my office.

I decide to go to say goodbye to Elena before I leave. Reaching up to wipe my nose with a Kleenex, I walk over to Melanie and Elena. My voice is all nasally and stuffed up sounding. "How's she doing?"

"She's doing great boss. I'd like her to spend a few hours here everyday this week so I can really get her up to speed on things. Is that okay?"

"Absolutely. I just came to tell you that I'm going home. I just don't feel good so I'm going to take some cold medicine and get some sleep. Stefan is going to take you back to Happy Dale, Elena."

"I can walk."

"No you can't. I want to make sure you get home safely."

"Okay. Thank you."

"You're welcome. I'll see you soon." I turn my eyes to Elena, giving her a discreet wink. I smile when a subtle blush covers her cheeks and her neck.

"Goodbye ladies." After taking the time to check in with Stefan and say goodbye, I put on my hat and sunglasses before stepping outside through the back door, dreading the walk to the bus depot. I walk slowly down the alley towards the sidewalk. As I'm about to step onto the sidewalk, just by happenstance, I look across the street, stunned to see April sitting in her car, her eyes on my building. I'm tempted to walk over there and ask her what she's doing but I don't want her to know that my suspicions have been aroused. Something is definitely not right at Happy Dale and I intend to find out what it is...

* * *

 _Hmmm? What is April up to?_

 _Thank you so much Eva. Love you lots._

 _chapter title: 'Crimson and Clover' by Tommy James and the Shondells_

 _No words to express my thanks to all of you that review and follow and favorite the stories but an extra shout out and sincere thank you to those of you who do write a couple of words._

 _I have posted the first 2 chapters of 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear'. Chapter 3 will be entirely in Elena's point of view. Watch for 'When You Wish Upon a Star' to start posting a little later this month. I have written a one shot based on a popular writer's prompt for the 5th annual DE A2A exchange on Live Journal. This will be my third year of participating. I will be posting that a little later in the month too._

 _'Rainy Days and Mondays' updated yesterday._

 _Please do remember to review._ _._

 _As always stay safe, be aware and have a fabulous rest of your weekend... Until next time._


	9. Mary Jane's Last Dance

_"Oh my gosh Damon. Of course I'll marry you," she gushes, staring at the ring I just put on her finger._

 _"It's beautiful." I smile when I see that she's still unable to take her eyes from that finger. When she finally looks away, she wraps her arms around my neck, kissing me with all she has._

 _"I aim to please," I tease, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. Just as that memory fades, another more sinister one takes its place._

 _"But I thought you were happy and you wanted to be with me? I make a good living. I've given you everything you've asked for. Why are you doing this?" I scream back, fisting my hands in my hair._

 _"Can't you get it through your thick skull, I want nothing to do with you? I can hardly even stand to look at you," she sneers, twisting the dagger in deeper with each syllable that flies out of her mouth._

 _"Can we at least talk about this? What have I done?" The sinister look on her face makes the cut of the knife hurt even more acutely as it eviscerates me with precision._

 _"No," she snaps, looking back once more before slamming the door behind her. Completely discombobulated, I walk over to the window, the dagger twisting even deeper when I see the two of them kissing. Unable to watch any longer, I turn away, sinking to the floor in heap, stunned as tears begin to prick at my eyes._

 _Stefan, Liz... What's going on?" As soon as she says it, my knees buckle as I collapse to the floor, not wanting to believe what I just heard. 'Drowning? What? No, no, no?" I whimper, tears filling my eyes._

"No," escapes my mouth when I fly out of bed. Looking around the room to get my bearings, my eyes focus on the picture that hasn't left my bedside. Picking it up, I clutch it to my chest before dissolving in a puddle of tears, my legs no longer able to hold me up.

"Damon?" dad whispers when he sees me curled up on the carpet. Just as quickly, he's on his knees, pulling me against his chest. My body relaxing a little more with each stroke of his palm against my back. Unable to move just yet, I close my eyes and bury my face against his chest, my pain slowly ebbing to a level that allows me to function.

"I'm sorry I woke you." My breaths are still coming out in pants and gasps.

"Son, you have nothing to apologize for. We can't help where our minds take us sometimes," he says, the low tone of his voice soothing. Sucking in a deep shuddering breath, I finally pull away so I can look at him.

"Thanks dad. I don't know where I'd be without you." He stares at me for a long moment.

"I'm your father and I love you. Where else would I be?" he asks, laying his hand atop mine. "Do you need something to help you sleep?" he asks.

Just as I'm about to answer him, a volley of sneezes escapes my mouth. He leans over towards my bedside stand to grab a tissue. After I wipe my nose, "I might have some 'Advil PM' in the medicine cabinet. The Benadryl might help my nose dry up too."

"You get back into bed. I'll go look. Do you have some water to swallow them?" Nodding, I point to the water bottle on my bedside stand. He gets up and goes into my bathroom. I hear the noises as he's moving things around to look for it. When he comes back into my bedroom, he hands me two of them. I raise my eyes to him then quickly swallow them down.

"Do you want me to stay?" Shaking my head no, I lay back down, covering my eyes with my forearm.

"Okay then but Damon, I'm right across the hall if you need me."

"Thanks dad. And I love you too. Goodnight." When the light goes out and I hear the door close, I roll onto my side, hoping this time my sleep is dreamless.

* * *

"Ric, Elijah, thanks for coming," I greet them, stepping aside so they can come into my house.

"You look like shit," Elijah chuckles.

"Feel like it too to be honest."

"Hello Owen," Ric says, greeting my dad when he walks into the room.

"Owen, this is my business partner, Elijah. Eli, this is Damon's father, Owen."

"It's nice to meet you sir," Elijah says to dad, shaking his hand.

"I've only heard good things about you from both Damon and Ric." Dad smiles and leads us into the kitchen. After giving us all a cup of coffee, he sits down.

"What's this about, Damon?" Ric asks.

Taking a deep breath, I look around the table. "You might think I'm crazy but something untoward is going on at Happy Dale. I don't know what it is, but I've seen things. My gut instinct is telling me something isn't right about that place. Add that to the fact that when I went over there for my duties not long ago, I found a young girl died," I add, pausing to let that sink in a little bit.

"So dad and I did as much research as we could online. It seems that Rose was the third young woman to die there in the last couple of years. The article talked about the death will bring the conspiracy theory kooks out of the woodwork again." I pass my eyes from dad then to Ric and Elijah.

"What kind of things have you seen?" Elijah asks, tilting his head curiously.

"For one thing, I've seen Carol Lockwood's secretary observing me for lack of a better word. The other day when I left work, her car was parked across the street and she was staring at my office. I went out the back door otherwise she would've seen me leaving. I was sorely tempted to jump her but I didn't. I've seen her eyeing me when I've talked to some of the staff and the residents of the place. She just gives me bad vibes." Feeling a chill, I pick up my coffee cup and take a drink.

"What about Mrs. Lockwood? Has she acted strangely too?" Ric asks, cupping his hands around his mug.

"I've caught her staring a time or two as well. She did come onto me once but I put an end to that and quickly. She hasn't tried that again. It's more April than Carol but I've seen the two of them huddled together. I can't explain it, Ric. I just know something is going on there."

"You say this girl is the third person to have died there?"

"That's what the article said," Dad adds, getting up to pour himself a refill.

"That is suspicious in and of itself," Elijah agrees. "You know my dad is private detective. Why don't I give him a call to see if he has time to run over here?"

"That's a good idea." Getting up, I grab the carafe, offering to refill their coffee cups. Maybe a half hour passes when I hear the doorbell.

"I'll get it," dad says, standing up and leaving the kitchen. A few moments later, the two of them step back inside. I stand up and offer him my chair.

"Dad, this is Damon," Elijah tells him, pointing at me, palm up.

"And this is his father, Owen. Guys, this is my dad, Mikael."

"How can I help you today?"

"Would you like a cup of coffee? I just made a fresh pot."

"Yes, thank you," Mikael says. Grabbing another mug from the cupboard, I fill it up then hand it to him," pointing to the cream and sugar that's already on the table top.

"The reason we called you dad is because Damon has some suspicions about Happy Dale."

"Ah... Happy Dale... I haven't thought about that place for quite some time," he utters, more to himself than to the rest of us.

"Now you have me intrigued." I add, leaning back against the counter.

"There have been rumors about the place for years. I, for one, believe the so-called conspiracy theories. They weren't born out of nothing," he says, looking at each of us.

"When I was a young man, a friend of mine got a girl pregnant. I knew her too. She was a very nice girl. Her parents sent her to Happy Dale. She died quite unexpectedly and quite suspiciously but nothing ever became of the investigation. As far as I know it was written off as natural causes. I have never believed that."

"I would very much like to investigate this if for no other reason than to give that girl justice."

"Thank you Mikael." Reaching over, I extend my hand to shake his.

"I'll keep my eyes and ears open but is there anything else I can do to help you?"

"I have some people who work undercover for me from time to time. I'm going to try to get her admitted there. She'll be able to do some digging as well."

"Before I told dad of my suspicions, I did a little research myself. The only articles that were listed had been purged from the website. The reporter listed is someone named Andie Starr. She's in Oklahoma City now according to a search of her name."

"Maybe I'll have to drive up there to see if I can have a word with Miss Starr," Mikael says, his eyes on me for a moment. Glancing at his watch, he backs out of his chair, stands up and puts his cup in my sink.

"I have another appointment so I need to run. I'm going to try to get in touch with Miss Starr. I'll be in touch." He first offers dad his hand and then me again.

"Thank you, Mr. Mikaelson," I tell him, shaking his hand.

"Please call me Mikael." Turning around, he starts walking out of the kitchen.

"I'll walk you out, dad," Elijah says, standing up and walking with his dad.

"I need to get back to the office too, Damon. I'll talk to you soon," Ric says, giving my shoulder a light squeeze when he sets his own cup in the sink.

Gesturing for him to lead, I follow him outside. After saying goodbye, I watch the three of them drive away. Deep in thought, I don't hear my dad come outside.

"I'm going for a walk, would you like to join me?"

"Let me grab a handful of Kleenex and then yes, I'd like that." Walking into the bathroom, I pick up the box and stuff a handful of tissues in my pocket, I make sure I have my house key before locking the door, pulling it closed behind me. The two of us walk side by side into the woods surrounding my home, hoping to escape the heaviness inside me for just a little while.

* * *

Although I still feel like hell from my cold, I decide I need to go to the office for the day, having ignored it for far too long. Fortunately I was able to call in sick at Happy Dale. I don't want to expose anyone to this because it just won't let go of me. I miss little Anna though and I can't wait to see her again but the last thing I want is for her to get sick. Once I turn on the computer, I try to do some work but my mind keeps jumping back to Mikael, especially the part about women having died there in distant past too. Folding my arms across the desktop, I lay my head down as fatigue finally catches up with me.

Elena isn't here yet today, she had a class to attend apparently and is planning to come over for a few hours afterwards. I smile when Melanie told me that she's a quick learner. Fortunately Mel will be here a few more weeks before she says goodbye for the final time. I am grateful that she's taking such care with Elena, showing her the ropes and all.

"Damon?" I raise my head when I hear my name. Slowly I sit up straight watching him as he walks into the room.

"Did you need something Stefan?"

"Yeah, it's about that girl...,"

"What girl?"

"What girl do you think? Hello, Elena," he mutters, throwing his arms up.

"Don't be so melodramatic," I scoff.

"What about her?"

"I don't want her here. She won't fit in. She's a mental patient Damon," he says softly, looking at me pensively.

"Oh come on. Don't be ridiculous. She as sane as you and I are. Actually her head is probably in a better place than mine is."

"How do you know she won't go postal or something? Do you even know anything about her?"

"I know she's not dangerous. Chill already."

"Admit it, you don't know anything about her."

"Fine, I don't know a lot about her. All I know is that she's been completely kind to me. I am giving her this job so you're just going to have to deal with it," I add in no uncertain terms.

"If anything happens, it's on your head," he says, his voice angry as he turns around and walks out, slamming the door shut behind him.

* * *

I haven't seen anymore of Stefan today. He must've left in a huff. I love my brother but sometimes he really tries my patience. I lock my office door then go to see if Elena is ready to leave. I'll walk with her back to Happy Dale. It's a good ten blocks or so but I can catch the bus from there too. Even though my body is still at war with me, I want to spend a little time with her. Standing just outside the door, I watch the two of them for a few minutes before stepping inside, greeting them both with a smiles.

"Hi boss. We were just finishing up," Mel says, clicking her computer off. Elena looks up, her smile wide when our eyes meet.

"I thought I could walk you back?"

"That would be lovely."

"Go on, I'll finish here. I'll see you tomorrow Elena. And boss, you still look like crap and should be home in bed," Mel adds, scolding me with her pointer finger.

Rolling my eyes, I reply, "I actually think the fresh air might do me some good. Let's go, Elena." She smiles when I nudge her back lightly with my palm.

"See you tomorrow Mel. Would you lock up on your way out?"

"I will. Bye now." She giving us a shushing motion with her hands before turning her eyes back to the computer.

"Thanks," I mouth to her before turning around and walking out with Elena. The two of us walk side by side down the sidewalk chit chatting about nothing at all really. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I take her hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. She looks at our joined hands for a moment before leaning over and pressing a kiss to my lips.

"Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity Damon. My twenty first birthday is coming quickly and then I can leave Happy Dale for good. Now that I have a job, I have to find myself a place to live."

"Elena, I'll help you find something. Don't worry about it, okay?" Watching her face relax, I reassure her.

"I'll look at some of the listings on line this evening. I have to be at Happy Dale tomorrow, maybe we'll see each other?"

"That would be great if you could find something. I don't know the first thing about renting a place. I mean as far as cost and everything. I really appreciate your help." Smiling, she gives my hand a squeeze. We sit down on the bench at the bus stop, still holding hands.

"I'll walk the rest of the way from here. There are 'eyes' at Happy Dale that I would prefer to stay blind."

"Why?"

"When I'm free of that place, I'll tell you. But please trust me for now." Unable to take my eyes from hers, I lean in and press my lips to hers. As our lips slide together, I wrap my arms around her, deepening the kiss.

"I do trust you but I want to be able to do that without cause for concern. You scare me a little bit Elena."

"Don't be scared. I'll tell you everything I know when it's safe."

"Promise me you'll be careful." I stare into her beautiful brown eyes before lifting another kiss from her lips.

"I promise," she whispers, initiating another kiss. Our bubble is broken by the sounds of grinding gears as the bus pulls up.

"You better go," she says. Standing up, I pull her up with me, embracing her for one last bone melting kiss before saying goodbye and hopping on the bus, not looking away till she disappears into Happy Dale.

* * *

 _There is definitely something amiss at Happy Dale..._

 _Thank you Eva for everything. I really appreciate all of your help and wise counsel. You're the best and I love you lots and lots and lots and lots._

 _Chapter title: 'Mary Jane's Last Dance' by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers._

 _Thank you so much for all of your reviews and support. I appreciate them more than you know. Right now I'm going through a little difficulty, finding my DE muse dimming a bit. I'm trying to work my way through it though._

 _I did post the first chapter of 'When You Wish Upon a Star'. Please give it a look. It's one of my 3 Christmas themed stories. Unless, I just can't wait, I'm going to post the Christmas one-shot that I wrote for This is My Escape next week._

 _Please give 'Rainy Days and Mondays' and 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' a look too. Do remember to *REVIEW*.. So many of you follow and favorite my stories and although I'm grateful that you're interested enough to do so, it would be a nice treat to have you review once in awhile too._

 _As always, stay safe and be aware. Sadly, the world is a very dangerous place. Have a wonderful weekend. Until next time._


	10. Love Walks In

"Damon, can I talk to you?" Raising my eyes, I can't help but notice how apprehensive my dad looks.

"Of course, dad. What's on your mind?"

"Stefan is a bit concerned about this girl you hired?" Sighing heavily, I gesture for him to sit down. As soon as he sits down, I walk into the kitchen to take a couple of deep breaths. I don't want to lose my temper with my dad. Opening the refrigerator door, I pull out a couple of water bottles. After taking a moment to take a deep swig from my water bottle, I walk back into the living room to hear dad out. I hand him the other bottle before sitting down on the other end of the sofa.

"Go ahead, purge.." When he gives me his look, I know for certain that he's aware of my frustration.

"Damon?"

"Well, he already talked to me about her dad. I just didn't feel up to getting into it with him that day. I don't know why he felt the need to drag you into it." Not wanting to lose my temper with my dad, I simply look away long enough to contain my emotions.

"He thinks you don't know anything about her and that you're endangering your staff."

"Endangering my staff? Seriously! Do you really think I'd put any of them at risk?"

"No, of course not." He stares at me for a moment before tilting his water bottle into his mouth. I watch as his adam's apple bobs as he swallows. Setting the bottle down, he turns back to me.

"He's just concerned about whether or not you're operating on all four cylinders right now, given your state of mind. You have been spiraling, son. I love you dearly and there's no place else I'd rather be right now, but... I just don't want you to get hurt again."

"I know that dad." I give his forearm a squeeze before continuing.

"I know I'm not the best about expressing my feelings sometimes and I know you love me. But remembering is still so hard. I mi.. miss... so much. You can't imagine the emptiness that I feel inside and it never fucking goes away. There are so many times that I wish I could trade places with... you know?" He doesn't say anything, he just nods his head in understanding.

"I know I haven't known Elena for very long. I'm well aware of that. But when I'm with her dad, I feel alive. For the first time in a long time, it's like the weight is lifted if even only for a short time."

"You trust this girl?"

"For the life of me, I don't know why but yes... I do trust her. She's getting released from Happy Dale soon. I told her that I'd help her find a place to stay. There's that little cottage down the street that's for rent. I'd like you to meet her," I add, feeling a little unsure. He looks at me for a few seconds, before squeezing my knee again.

"If this girl helps lighten your load, I do want to meet her. Just be careful okay? I'm not ready to lose you, Damon. Do you understand?"

Nodding animatedly, I breathe a sigh of relief. "Thanks dad. And for what it's worth, I love you too."

* * *

After taking a couple of more days off to convalesce, I finally go back to Happy Dale. Immediately upon entering the place, I can't help but notice the heated exchange between April and Dr. Nik. But what's even more odd is that as soon as she sees me, she plasters a phony saccharine smile on her face and stalks off. Shivering slightly, I brush it off for now. I certainly don't want to do anything to raise her suspicions at least not till Elena is out of here for good. I know it's soon but I'll have to ask her the date when I see her again.

Turning towards the office, I pull the door open and walk inside. My eyes widen when I see April walking into the room from the hallway where Carol's office is located. Obviously there is another entry to this suite of offices.

"Good morning Damon. How can I help you today?" she asks, her voice still sickeningly sweet and condescending.

"Good morning to you April. I came to check in and see what my assignment is for today?"

"Let me check with Mrs. Lockwood. Usually I have a list of assignments for our 'forced volunteers'. Perhaps she was distracted or something. I'll be right back. Have a seat," she says, getting up and walking back down the hallway. Feeling restless, I walk over to the window to look outside. Unwittingly, a smile forms on my face when I see Elena walking hand in hand with Anna through the flower gardens. They don't notice me so I just watch them. Mel told me that she told Elena to come to my office this afternoon because she had some wedding plans to finalize this morning. I try to take good care of my employees. Mel is top of the line and I will miss her.

When I hear my name, I turn around to face April. "Carol says you should work in the kitchen again today. Do you remember where to go?"

"It's not that hard to find," I utter. It takes everything in me not to roll my eyes. Turning my back to her, I walk out of the office and to the kitchen.

"Damon, it's a pleasure to work with you again," Luke greets me with a handshake.

"You too," I reply, shaking his hand. "So what's on the menu for today?"

"Hamburger Stroganoff with either noodles or rice."

"Is it just the two of us?" I ask.

"It is today."

"Let's get started then."

After the meal is cooked and served, Luke and I take our time cleaning up. Once everything is washed and wiped and put away, I wash my own hands, thank Luke and walk out of the kitchen. When I glance at my watch, I see I still have some time before I need to get to my office so I set out in search of Anna. I look around the atrium and some of the other areas of the building, finally finding her sitting by herself when I get back to the atrium. Her eyes light up when she sees me and runs into my arms. Picking her up, I give her a hug before sitting down with her in my lap.

"How are you Anna? I've missed you."

"Me good," she says, rubbing her hand on my arm as if trying to show herself that I'm indeed real.

"Would you like to go outside to play on the swings for awhile?" Bobbing her head up and down, I set her on the floor, take her hand and the two of us walk outside to the playground area. First she hops on the merry go round. After telling her to hang on tight, I give it a gentle push so she doesn't get dizzy and fall off. I don't know how I'd forgive myself is she got hurt. When she tires of that, she walks over to the swings. I lift her in and then push her gently. Hanging on so firmly that her knuckles look white, she starts to pump with her legs. Stepping back slightly, I allow her to do the work herself. I want her to be proud of how special she really is. When she slows down, I help her off so she doesn't fall if she tries jumping. Taking her hand again, the two of us walk back inside and go to the lounge so we can share a soda.

Having lost track of time, I reach into my pocket to grab my phone when I feel it vibrate. Stefan sent me a text wondering where I'm at. I quickly type in a reply and shoot it back to him.

Stooping down to her level, I give her a hug and tell her goodbye. Sighing heavily, I melt into a puddle when I see her eyes begin to glisten. After reassuring her that I'll see her again and soon, I tell her goodbye. Taking a few minutes to run to the office to check out, I reach the bus stop just in time as it pulls away the moment I jump on.

Once I put out a few fires, I go into my office to try to decompress a little bit. Elena is busy with Mel so other than saying hi, I haven't gotten to really talk to her. When I hear my door open, I look up, a little surprised to see Caroline coming in.

"Hey?" I ask, perplexed.

"I just came to talk a little bit. How are you?"

"What's this about Caroline?"

"Stefan has voiced some concerns. I wanted to hear your side before I render judgment," she says, taking a seat in front of my desk. Sighing, I drop my head for a few seconds before looking at her again.

"Go on, out with it," I mutter, annoyance clearly evident in my voice.

"Just relax okay? I'm not here to judge you or Elena for that matter. I just want to hear your side of the story."

"You do know that Stefan ran to dad too don't you?"

"I did."

"Something about Elena sucks me right in. I don't know exactly what that is yet except to say that I feel alive when I'm with her. Can you understand that?"

"I can. For what it matters, I think she's a great girl too but I also think there's much more to her than meets the eye." I start to protest but she turns her palm toward me, silencing me for a moment.

"I don't believe she's dangerous but I do believe that she has secrets. All I want is for you to be careful and go easy. You both have healing to do I think," she adds, her voice full of understanding.

"Thank you, Caroline. I appreciate your support. Please ask Stefan to give her a chance. If she can't handle this job, I'll find something else for her even if that means she doesn't work here. I just want to help her."

"I will talk to Stefan so long as you promise you'll be careful with both yourself and with her?"

"You have my word." When I see her nod, I get up to walk her to my door. I press a kiss to her cheek before opening it for her.

"Thank you sis." She nods just slightly then walks away, disappearing into Stefan's office.

* * *

I'm practically at wit's end by the time the afternoon comes to a close. I'm frustrated with Stefan but I know better than to confront him when I'm this upset. He went to dad and Caroline too. I'm big enough to make my own decisions about _'my'_ business. I did build it from nothing to a million dollar business with a lot of hard work. I prefer the homey setting of my office with my core group of family and friends that work for me. Brady and Mel have been with me practically from the beginning too. I really hope that with some time, Stefan will accept Elena too. Caroline at least is willing to give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

Ric handles legal matters and patents whenever we develop a new game. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to associate with. Knowing I'll do everything humanly possible to make Elena fit in, I hope she will feel safe and comfortable here once she gets to know everyone. When I hear a noise, I look up just in time to see Elena slip through the crack in my door.

"Hey?" I greet her, standing up.

"Hi Damon. I just wanted to tell you goodnight. And that I get out of Happy Dale a week from tomorrow."

"Speaking of, an acquaintance of mine owns a little cottage in my block. It's for rent and it's quite reasonable. I thought maybe tomorrow we could meet him there so you can give it a look?"

"That sounds perfect. Thank you."

"No worries. Mel tells me and I quote, 'she's amazing'. Do you like this work, Elena? I mean, I don't want you to do something if you're heart isn't in it. I want you to be part of my 'family' here but if there's something you'd rather be doing, promise me that you'll speak up."

"Oh no, Damon. I like it here just fine so far." I visibly sigh with relief when she tells me that. I give my office door a light shove, forcing it closed then I take her hand and pull her over to my overstuffed chair, pulling her onto my lap when I sit down. Reaching up, I cradle her face with my palms, pulling her lips to mine. As soon as she opens her mouth, I plunge my tongue inside her moist hot mouth to play with hers. As our lips meld and slide together, I feel the rockets red glare and the bombs bursting in air as the electricity arcs between us. When we separate, we're both panting breathlessly.

"You take my breath away," she whispers, brushing her forehead with the back of her hand.

"I have so much to tell you as soon as I'm free from Happy Dale," she blurts out.

"Oh sweetheart, you takes my breath away too." When I see a her lips forming a smile, I press a sweet kiss to her temple.

"Once you're free of that place, I want you to tell what's happening there. I hope you know that you can trust me?"

"I do know that."

"I was hoping that maybe the two of us can go out that night to celebrate or I can make you supper? I want you to meet my dad."

"I would like that a lot."

"We'll just have to make it happen then," I utter, lifting another kiss from her lips.

"But sweetheart, you need to be careful while you're there."

"I will."

"Promise?"

"Of course," she assures me, lifting a kiss of her own from my lips.

"I spent a little time with Anna today. I took her over to the playground for awhile. I'm crazy about that little girl."

"She's pretty enamored with you too. Believe me, she hasn't stopped talking about the zoo. She has the mentality of a four year old so she does really well for being a Down's child. I would love to be able to send her to a special school that's equipped to nurture and foster her development rather than just move her along. I will tell you that she does have temper tantrums."

"I assumed no less. So called normal kids have temper tantrums too though."

"You're right. She's just the sweetest little girl."

"That she is." We're both quiet for a long moment as we stare into each other's eyes before joining our lips once more.

"As much as I'd like to continue this, I really need to get back. I have some homework to do." I pout when she slides off my lap to stand up.

"Do you want me to walk you back?"

"That's not necessary. What time and where do you want me to meet you to look at that place tomorrow?"

"Why don't we meet here? I'll be in at nine or so. Come on, I'll walk you to the door." Standing up, I take her hand and lift it to my lips. After pressing a kiss to it, I link my fingers with hers and walk with her to the door. When we get there, I give her one last lingering kiss before she steps outside and walks off down the sidewalk. I watch till she disappears around the block. Before going back inside to grab my things, I look up and down the street, taken aback momentarily when I see Carol Lockwood walking down the sidewalk towards me.

"Damon," she greets, although her eyes are on Elena's back as she walks away.

"Hello Mrs. Lockwood. I'm surprised to see you here this time of day?"

"I actually came to talk to you about the center."

"Why don't we go inside?" When she nods, I pull the door open wider and step aside so she can walk inside.

"This way," I tell her, motioning for her to follow me into my office. After telling her to have a seat, I lean against my desk, crossing my arms.

"How can I help you today?"

"You run a gaming business. I was wondering if you would consider making a donation to the center for the children?"

"Well, I hadn't really thought about it. I would be happy to do that." I get up and walk behind my desk to pull open one of the side drawers. Thumbing through the files, I find the one I want and pull out a piece of paper. After giving her a terse smile, I walk over to my copy machine and make a copy for her.

"Here is a list of the games and their descriptions. Why don't you go through that and let me know if there's any of them that you'd prefer the children not to have. I mean some of them are rated 'M'."

"Oh thank you, Damon. The children will be thrilled but you're right, some of them may not be appropriate." Nodding, I agree with her.

"So... Damon, how is Elena working out here?"

"She hasn't started on her own yet. I have one of my employees training her." I don't miss the curious look on her face. Just as she starts to open her mouth, the door to my office opens.

"Damon, can I talk..., Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had a visitor."

"Come on in. Mrs. Lockwood, this is my brother Stefan." Turning my attention to Stefan, I introduce her to him.

"This is Mrs. Lockwood. She runs Happy Dale. She came to ask if we would consider donating some games for the children."

"That's really a great idea. Good publicity too," Stefan muses.

Rolling my eyes, I look at Carol, "Is there anything else that you wanted to discuss with me?"

"No, thank you for your time, Damon. I will go over this.," she says, waving the game list I gave her.

"Are you scheduled for tomorrow?"

"I believe so but I'm not positive. I have my schedule at home." Standing up, she starts to walk towards my office door. I follow behind, pulling the door open for her before following her to the entrance.

"Thank you again, Damon."

"You're welcome. Goodbye now." I watch intently as she walks down the block before jumping into the driver's seat of car not far up the street from my office. When I walk back inside, I lock the front door and flick the sign to say 'closed' before slowly walking back into my office where I know Stefan is waiting for me.

* * *

"What is it Stefan? If you're here to trash Elena some more, I don't want to hear it. Are we clear?"

"No we're not clear. She's a psych job! And I won't have her putting my wife and child to be in danger!" he demands, slamming his hand, palm spread, onto my desktop.

Taking a moment, I close my eyes and fist my hands as I try to get my temper in check. "I will not sit here and listen to you slander Elena. It ends right now. Are we clear?"

"No, we're not clear. You don't know anything about her. She's a psych patient. How do we know she won't lose it over something inane?"

Exhaling heavily, I round on him. "Elena isn't going to hurt anyone. Do you really believe that I'd put you, Caroline or any of our friends at risk here?" I snap, lowering my eyes for a moment before raising them again.

"My God, Stefan, do you not know me at all?"

"Damon, come on..."

"No you come on, do you believe that?"

"Of course not. I'm just worried about Caroline and my baby. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to them? I couldn't cope with that...," he utters, his eyes widening with pity.

"Damon, I'm sorry. I didn't mean...,"

"Stop! This conversation is over. And you little brother are going to treat Elena with respect." After glaring at him for a few seconds, I walk out of my office to the back door and leave. Once I'm a good distance down the block, I bend over, palms on my thighs as I struggle to take a deep breath. Standing up a few seconds later, I take a seat and wait for the bus. My reverie is broken when I hear its brakes squeal. I climb in and flop into a seat. The driver turns to look at me as I'm the only one on the bus right now.

"Where to?"

"Just drive," I tell him, dropping my face into my hands when the bus pulls away from the curb.

* * *

 _Something is rotten at HD..._

 _Thank you Eva for everything. I know we wouldn't be here without you. Love you lots._

 _Thanks so much for all of the follows and favorites and especially for the reviews. Thanks for putting me at the 100 review mark._

 _Chapter title: 'Love Walks In' by Van Halen_

 _I did post my one-shot for Kate on Wednesday. Please give 'The Christmas Shoes' a look. I'd so appreciate a review. I really put a lot into that._ _I also wrote a one-shot for 'NotEnoughPotter'. She writes wonderful DE stories and is a published author. It's called 'When You Believe'. It's based on her prompt for the DE A2A exchange hosted by Sar aka BadBoysAreBest and NerdDamon._

 _I did update 'Rainy Days and Mondays' yesterday. There is a snippet of 'Angels Fall' included in chapter 16 if you're interested. I have also updated 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear' and 'When You Wish Upon a Star' this week._

 _Do remember to *REVIEW*. They're what help to keep my DE muse alive._

 _Have a safe and wonderful weekend. We'll see you next time._


	11. Piano Man

Knowing I shouldn't drink but also knowing I need one, I jump off the bus at the stop that's within walking distance of my house. I stand on the sidewalk for several minutes trying to talk myself out of going inside. Finally, I lose the battle and walk in, taking a seat at the bar. After ordering a bourbon, I raise my eyes to the TV that's mounted above the bar. Although I'm trying to distract myself with the ball game, I lure of that finger of bourbon is too much to resist.

Picking it up, I put the tumbler to my lips and take a swallow, savoring the burn as it goes down. I quickly tip it back and order a second one. Taking a deep breath, I wrap my hands around the glass but instead of downing the second one, I turn my attention back to the TV.

"Damon?" I hear, then turn swiftly to see who it is.

"Dr. Mikaelson?"

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asks.

"Be my guest." I utter, sliding my bar stool over a little bit. He orders a drink, taking a big slurp once the bartender sets it in front of him.

"So Damon, why are you here? I thought this..," he says, pointing to my drink, "is why you're doing time at Happy Dale in the first place."

"It is. I had a few words with my brother. I needed to unwind a bit," I explain, lifting the glass to my mouth to take another sip.

"Yeah, families are complicated sometimes," he muses, lifting his beer bottle to his mouth.

* * *

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks, our eyes meeting for a few seconds till I turn away.

Inhaling sharply, I stare straight ahead, silent for a few seconds. Deciding to tell him the truth, I just blurt out softly, "I lost someone very, very important to me about a year ago. It just isn't getting any easier."

"I wish I had the right words." He stares at me for a few moments. I drop mine when I see that look that everyone gets when you talk about a lost loved one. I hate it.

"If you ever really want to talk, you know where to find me."

"It hurts too much to talk about it, Dr. Mikaelson."

"Nik, call me Nik," he adds, taking a swallow of his own drink. I swallow back the rest of my drink. Just as I'm about to order a third, a face pops into my head. Sighing, I push the glass and stand up to go home for the night.

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah, my dad is staying with me right now. I don't want to disappoint him by coming home drunk. I'll see you around, Nik," I utter as I turn around and walk out of the bar and down the sidewalk towards my house.

It's not late by the time I get home. The windows are lit up so I know dad hasn't retired to his room yet. Knowing I need to face the music, I suck in a deep breath and then step inside.

"Damon?"

"Yeah dad, it's me." After pushing the door closed and locking it, I pause for a moment before I go to talk to him. Since I have no other plans for the evening, I kick my shoes off, leaving them in the entryway.

* * *

"Where were you? I called Stefan. He told me you left the office before he did."

"I was at the bar with a guy I met at Happy Dale," I tell him truthfully. Raising my hands in surrender before he can chastise me, "I only had two drinks. I'm not drunk dad. I'm sorry."

"I wasn't going to scold you, Damon. You're a grown man and can make your own decisions. But can you tell me why when you were doing so well?"

"Stefan!" Unable to look at him, I keep my eyes focused on my feet.

"Did he do something?"

"He laid into me about Elena. He fears that she's unstable and will go nuts and kill the lot of us. I asked him if he really believed that I'd risk any of their lives?"

I raise my eyes to his for a long moment before turning away again, hating that I disappointed him.

"Is that all or was there more to it?"

"He said he'd die if something happened to Caroline and his baby." Reaching up, I pinch the bridge of my nose to keep the moisture at bay. Swallowing thick, I take a couple more deep cleansing breaths before turning to face him again. Dad doesn't say a thing, he just walks over and wraps me in a hug. When he releases me, he lifts my chin with his hand.

"Come now, I have supper for you."

"I'll be right down, I'm going to put my pajamas on first." I turn away from him and walk up the stairs. When I get to my room, I see DC sleeping on my bed. Chuckling, I walk over to pet him gently for a few strokes. He meows, standing up to nuzzle my face. After loving him up for a few minutes, I walk over to my dresser, pull out a clean tee shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. Sucking in a deep breath, I pull open the second drawer. I reach inside for the small box that's hidden from prying eyes. Picking it up, I walk over to the bed, plop down and open it with shaky hands. Carefully I look at the pictures, pressing a soft kiss to each one. After I put them back, I hold the box to my chest and close my eyes, letting my imagination take me back to a happier time.

 _"Hi baby, how are you feeling today?"_

 _"I'm perfect," she replies, staring at me for a moment._

 _"I brought you something." With a waggle of my eyebrows, I reach into my jacket pocket for the little black box._

 _"Damon?"_

 _I take her hand in mine, laying the box in her palm. "Open it."_

 _'It's so beautiful. It's a ruby birthstone necklace. Do you like it?"_

 _"Do I like it? Need you even ask? Put it on," she asks, handing it back to me before turning around and lifting her hair out of the way. Reaching around, I clasp the necklace admiring how it lays against her chest._

 _"I love you." Standing on her tiptoes, she gives me a peck on the lips. Not satisfied with that, I pull her into my arms and when our lips meet, I feel like I'm flying._

"Are you coming, Damon?" I hear my dad ask loudly as he's most likely standing at the foot of the stairs.

"Yes, I'm coming," I yell back. Standing up, I put my precious memories back into its hiding place in my underwear drawer. Once it's safely tucked away, I go into the bathroom to wash my face and hands before trotting down the stairs. Dad is putting the food on the table as I step into the kitchen.

"Looks good. Thanks for waiting for me, dad."

"No worries. Do you have to go to Happy Dale tomorrow?"

"No, I checked before I came downstairs. Why?"

"I thought maybe we could do something. I don't know, go to a ballgame or something?"

"That actually sounds really nice. I'd like that a lot." After spooning a serving of mashed potatoes onto my plate, I dig in, relishing the taste as the flavors erupt on my taste buds. My dad it a fabulous cook.

"I thought maybe you could use some good old fashioned comfort food," he says, tilting his head slightly.

Nodding, I stick a forkful in my mouth, my taste buds savoring the flavor of his cooking. Lifting my glass, I take a swallow of my drink. "You even made me lime Kool-Aid! Thanks dad."

"You've loved that stuff since you were a little boy. I happened to notice it when I was in the drink aisle at the grocery store. I picked up a few packets."

"I very much appreciate everything you're doing for me. What if we go fishing tomorrow? We haven't done that in ages," I lament.

"That's a great idea. We can rent a boat at the marina can't we?"

"Yeah dad, we can do that." I smile at how excited he seems. We finish eating in silence. I help him clean up the kitchen and dry the dishes. He's not one to use the dish washer for just the two of us which makes sense really. Once we're done, we go into the living room to watch TV for awhile. I inherited my love of old movies from him. By chance, we happen to find Hitchcock's ' _Notorious_ ' playing on one of the cable channels so we both kick back and enjoy the suspense.

When it's done, I flick the TV off and put the remote in the cabinet. Together, we walk up the stairs, separating to go into our own rooms at the top of the stairs.

"Goodnight dad."

"Goodnight son. I'll wake you early so we can get a move on." He gives me a nod then steps into his bedroom, closing the door behind him.

* * *

As promised, dad gets me up bright and early this morning. We decide to get some breakfast at the marina so we can get going. I shoot off a quick text to Stefan to let him know that I'm spending the day with dad so he doesn't hound me about where I am. It's been several days since we talked to Elijah's dad. I wonder if he was able to talk to that reporter yet?

"Have you heard anything from Mikael?"

"Now that you mention it, no, I haven't heard anything. Have you talked to Ric or Elijah?" he asks, keeping his eye on the road.

"No. Did I tell you that I spent some time with Anna yesterday. I took her out to the playground for a little while and then we shared a soda. There's something about that little girl." My voice trails off when I turn to look out of the window.

"That makes two of us that are completely enamored with that little tyke. It's maybe too soon, Damon but have you ever thought about maybe being a big brother to a young boy or maybe even adoption? I know having two parents is preferable but I know that single people can adopt nowadays too," he asks, looking at me quickly.

"You know dad, I never even considered that. I could check with the boys club about being a big brother maybe. When you mention adoption, are you thinking of Anna?"

"Yes. I know she's a special needs child but you have so much love to give, Damon. I've decided that I'm going to move here so I can spend more time with you boys and my grandchild when it arrives."

"I'll give it some thought, dad." My mind is lost in thought as I imagine the possibilities. My reverie is broken only when I hear dad say that we're at the marina. After parking the car, we take our fishing gear out of the trunk and walk over to the boat rental area.

We deposit our gear in the boat then dad revs the engine to life and we skim out of the slip and onto the lake. Dad guides us into a quite little cove area. I hand him his fishing pole and a minnow. After baiting our hooks we cast out our lines and wait for the fish to bite.

"I think I got one," my dad yells, trying to reel in whatever latched onto his baited hook. He works and works, whatever he has is big because it's putting up quite a fight. After much give and take, he finally is able to bring the fish close enough to the boat so I can dip the net in and lift it on board.

"Wow, it's huge, dad." I marvel at the size of the fish he caught. Carefully he puts it on a stringer and then lifts it back into the water. Sometimes we keep the fish we catch and make a meal out of them. Other times, we throw them back in and fish just for the fun of it. By late afternoon, we've caught plenty of fish but we've set most of them free. When he catches me yawning, he tells me to pull up the anchor so we can head back to shore. By the time we get back, the sun is starting to set, the sky brilliant shades of orange, yellow, pink and red. I run into the sundries shop to buy a bag of ice to put on the fish that we decided to keep. I think dad should have the big Northern he caught mounted. I'll talk to him about it tomorrow.

After loading up our things, we begin the long drive home. I close my eyes, lulled to sleep by the rhythm of the tires on the open road.

* * *

"Come on in, Damon," the owner of the house says, stepping aside so Elena and I can walk in. It's a quaint little cottage with two bedrooms. It only has one large bathroom and one smaller one that's connected to the master bedroom. We walk into the bedrooms. Elena smiles when she sees the walk in closet. When we get to the kitchen, she pulls open the cupboards, running her hands along the wood and the fixtures. The living room has a bay window with a seat.

"I always wanted a home with a bay window," she gushes, smiling widely.

"I want it but I need to know how much it's going to cost me every month. Are utilities included or are they addition to the rent?

"Utilities are included. It's a small house but it is a nice neighborhood. I'm asking for seven hundred and fifty dollars a month." Her demeanor immediately changes as sadness colors her features.

"I don't know if I can afford that much?" Elena says softly.

"Elena, your salary will be enough. Don't worry okay?"

"Are you sure? I mean, I don't want special treatment." Nervous, I chuckle a little bit when I see her biting on one of her fingernails.

"Yes, I'm certain. Why don't you let me pay a couple of months worth of rent. I can subtract it from your paycheck if you really want this place."

"I do but that's a lot of money, Damon."

"It's settled then. John, why don't you draw up the papers and bring them over to my office? I'll give you three months rent at the signing. Will that suffice?"

"Absolutely Damon."

"When can she move in?"

"As soon as the papers are signed. I'll get them drawn up. I'll try to have them ready by next week." Nodding, I gently nudge Elena's back, the two of us then step outside. After shaking John's hand, he locks up the place then gets in his car and drives away, leaving Elena and I alone on the sidewalk.

"I can't leave Happy Dale till I have a place to stay."

"Yes you can. You can stay at my house for a few days. It's just me and my dad in a great big old house."

"Are you absolutely sure? You've done more than enough for me already Damon. I don't want to impose."

"You won't. I can't explain it, Elena but it feels good inside when we're together? Does that make any sense at all or do I sound like a sap?" I ask, looking down.

"Hey, I feel it too," she confirms, laying her arms on my shoulders as I place my hands on her waist.

"Kiss me."

"Gladly," I reply, pressing our lips together in a torrid kiss, pulling apart only when some kids honk their truck horn when they pass us on the street. Being with Elena is such a breath of fresh air. When we're together, the load I carry lightens. Unable to hold back, I start laughing and in seconds she laughing along with me. She cradles my face with her palms when our eyes meet again, pulling my lips to hers. With our lips molding and sliding one against the other, the rest of the world just fades away as I lose myself in the rapture of the moment.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. I love you and all that you do for me._

 _Thank you all of you for your reviews, follows and favorites. I appreciate you all more than you know. The reviews really do help to keep the muse engaged._

 _Chapter Title: 'Piano Man' by Billy Joel_

 _I posted the conclusions to my two Christmas stories a couple of days ago. Also please take a look a the one-shots I wrote for this year's A2A exchange on LJ. I'd love to hear your thoughts on them as well. ' **Rainy Days and Mondays** ' updated yesterday. Now I'm down to only two stories in progress. Since I only have a couple of chapters left to write for ' **Angels Fall** ', I'm going to start posting it. I can't wait to hear your thoughts. _

_Please remember to click that * **Review*** button. _

_I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. Have a wonderful day and week ahead. Stay safe and be aware and lots of love.. Until next time._


	12. Hello

Fortunately the cottage is in tip top shape so we can get Elena moved in right away. There's no need to stay any longer at Happy Dale or for her to spend a few nights at my place. We're moving her things directly into her little house. Since she was stuck at Happy Dale for five long years, she really doesn't have many belongings. Also she has promised to tell me everything about herself. Although anxious to know, I trust her to know when she feels the time is right. I'm not going to push her for now. I dismantled one of the beds in my home for her to use till she can get one of her own. The two of us went to a second hand furniture store to pick up some things for her. We bought a dresser, a couch and a recliner as well as a kitchen set for her to use right now. They were all in pretty good shape and reasonably priced. I offered to help her out and buy what she needed but my girl is proud. After telling me in no uncertain terms that she was not going to let me keep buying her things, I suggested the used furniture place.

"I think we need to get you something to decorate your walls a little bit."

"I don't really want to put holes in the walls. I mean, at some point he may want to sell this house." She gives me a pensive look before dropping onto the couch, taking the seat beside me.

"Thank you, Damon for everything. I know I don't have much for belongings but thanks for helping me move. You've done so much for me already."

"I wanted to help, Elena. When I'm with you, the world seems a little brighter if that makes any sense at all." Leaning in, I press a kiss to her lips. She leans her head against my shoulder and the two of us just close our eyes for a few moments and relax.

"I suppose we should get the bed put together. I brought you a set of sheets. I hope that's okay?"

"Damon, you've done enough."

"I enjoy helping people Elena. No one was more surprised than me when I realized how much I enjoy helping out at Happy Dale. I'm almost done with my time there too but I'm seriously considering volunteering. I really like spending time with the kids, especially Anna. I can feel good about myself for a little while, you know?"

"Why wouldn't you feel good about yourself?"

"Sometimes I just don't like myself very much."

"Damon?"

"I don't want to talk about it today. Let's get your bed put together and made. We need to get you some silverware, dishes and cookware too."

"Do you know of another second hand stores?"

"I do indeed." Standing up, I offer her my hand. When she latches on, I pull her up and into my arms. We stare into each others eyes for a few moments. Tentatively, I lean forward and join our lips in a passionate kiss. When the need for air arises, I pull back, panting for a breath. With a shaky hand, I push a stray strand of hair behind her ear before pressing another kiss to her forehead.

"Let's go." When she offers me her hand, I lace our fingers together. Although Elena doesn't have a vehicle, apparently they offer driver's education classes at the facility. After locking up the place, I hand her my car keys so we can drive to another consignment shop. After picking through the hodge-podge of all manner of things, we find a few pieces of cookware, some dishes and some mismatched silverware but it'll work for now. Once all of that was loaded into the car, I insist we go to a store so we can get her a TV and some bath towels and toiletries. Although a bit disgruntled, she finally agrees when I promise to subtract a little from each paycheck till it's all paid back.

As exasperating as it is, Elena does have an independent streak which is a good thing really. I want her to be able to make it on her own. I hope she'll let me be there to support her on this journey though. I know we haven't known each other very long and we virtually know nothing about each other but for whatever reason, I feel a connection to Elena. I want to know her, all of her, good and bad just as I want her to know me.

We stop at a Chinese place for some carryout on the way back to the cottage. After giving my dad a call to tell him that I'd be spending the evening with Elena, I unload the trunk while she gets our food ready. Once I have everything in the house, I exhale heavily, walking into the kitchen to find her.

"I was just about to come to get you. Food's on," she says with a smile, handing me a paper plate and silverware. I set it down on the table then excuse myself to wash my hands and face. When I come back, we sit down and enjoy our food. When we're done eating, we clean up quickly then go to the living room, collapsing on the couch.

"I should hook up your TV for you." Yawning widely, I cover my mouth.

Shaking her head back and forth she says, "No, you've worked hard enough today. I think you need to get some sleep."

Although not ready to leave her, I lean over to lift a smoldering kiss to her lips.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Yawning widely again, I get up to go home.

Standing up, she walks along with me to the door. After pulling it open, she throws her arms around my neck and this time it's her who kisses me so hard, it's scorching in its intensity.

Raising her fingers to her lips after we pull apart. She almost looks awed by the sparks that fly when our lips unite.

Unable to suppress a smile, I wrap her in my arms, squeezing her against my chest. I drop a kiss to the crown of her head and whisper goodnight when I pull back.

"Goodnight Damon," she whispers. I say goodnight and tell her to make sure she locks the door before stepping outside. Our eyes stay joined until the door closes softly behind me. With a tired smile on my face, I turn around and walk down the sidewalk towards my home.

* * *

Since we're about to release a new game, I have to spend the next few days at the office getting things in order. Although I'm a bit disgruntled with Stefan, he does do an excellent job marketing the games and finding buyers to mass produce it. I have about three weeks of time left to serve at Happy Dale but I'm going to have to look into volunteering if I want to be able to spend more time with Anna. My dad flew back home to start getting things in order to sell his house. Stefan and I are flying home at the end of the week to help him out.

Caroline is staying home because her best friend Bonnie is arriving to spend some time with her. She promised me that she would keep an eye on Elena and help her out if need be. Care is a good person, she said she was going to ask Elena if she wanted to go shopping with them. I hope she will as her furnishings are pretty sparse yet. She wants to buy a bed for herself and one for the second bedroom. I was a little taken aback when she told me that although she wants nothing to do with her parents, at least not at this point in her life, she does have a brother that she'd like to reconnect with.

I had to make arrangements with the court to give me a little more time to complete my community service so I can go home to help my dad out. Unfortunately with everything going on between here and the center and making arrangements to fly to Florida, I haven't been able to spend much time with Elena. Since Caroline will be busy with her girlfriend, I'm going to ask Elena is she can cat sit DC while dad and I are gone. I have yet to introduce her to dad and that's something I really want to do. My dad has been such a lifesaver for me since that fateful day. Maybe when we get back, I can invite her over to share a meal with dad and me, I muse while working on this week's payroll.

* * *

When I finish up my computer work, I walk into Elena's work area. Mel has only a week left but she has assured me the Elena is more than capable of doing her job. Stefan is still distant with her. Elena hasn't said anything to me but I can see how it bothers her. The way she quietly pushes a piece of hair behind one of her ears or the way she looks down, not making eye contact with him when he asks a question. And I know I'll have to have a few words with him but I just don't have the energy to get into another fight with him tonight.

"Hello, Elena. Do you know where Mel is?"

"She left for the day. I hope that's okay. She said she'd go over my work tomorrow to make sure I didn't screw anything up."

"I'm sure you didn't screw up anything. As you know, I'm flying back home with my dad. I kind of have a favor to ask you?"

"What kind of a favor?"

"I was hoping maybe you could babysit my cat while I'm gone."

"You have a cat?"

"I do. He's a mutt and his name is DC and I love him to pieces."

"DC?"

"It's stands for damn cat."

"I had no idea that you were a cat person," she laughs.

"That I am. I got him about a year ago from the animal shelter. They were going to euthanize him. I just couldn't leave him there."

"Damon, who knew you had a soft spot for a kitty? I think it's great that you picked a shelter animal."

"Thanks. Um, do you want to do something tonight?" I ask, hoping to spend a little time with her before I leave.

"I'd like that. Why don't you come over and we'll watch a movie or something?"

"That sounds like a fabulous idea. I'm going to go finish up. Why don't you stop by my office when you're done so we can leave together?"

"I'll do that." After staring at her for a few seconds, I bend over to drop a kiss to her lips. When she smiles that ear to ear smile at me, I feel my heart begin to thrum against my ribcage. I can't even explain the connection I feel to her and how good it feels to merely touch her. With a smile of my own, I walk out of her space and back to my office, my smile widening with each step I take.

* * *

Feeling excited about spending the evening with Elena, I bury myself in my work so I can finish up in time to stop at the flower store to pick a bouquet up for Elena. I wish I knew what kind of flowers she likes although I'm sure she'll be pleased with whatever I choose.

"Hello?" I answer when my phone rings.

"Hey Ric, what's shaking?"

"I just talked to Mikael. He's going to Oklahoma City this weekend to speak with Miss Starr. Apparently she was on her honeymoon and that's why he wasn't able to reach her till just a couple of days ago."

"I hope she can shed some light on a few things. I don't know, Ric," I utter, shaking my head.

"I have absolutely no proof that something untoward is going on there, it's just a nagging gut feeling.'

"I understand. I remember all to well that time you knew something was wrong at my parent's place. We got there and they were both passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning. If we hadn't gotten there when we did, they'd be dead now."

"I remember. How are they by the way? I haven't seen them in quite some time."

"They're doing great Damon. You should know that my mom always asks about you when I talk to her. You'll have to come along with Jenna and me one of these days when we drive over to see them."

"I'll do that. Give them my best. Did I tell you that Stefan and I are flying to Florida on Friday? Dad is moving in with me permanently. He needs help packing and arranging for a moving van. We'll probably have to have an auction or something to sell his furniture and stuff that he won't need anymore."

"That is good news. How do you feel about that?"

"Believe it or not, I like having him here. I mean, I know he's still a fairly young guy and now with Caroline expecting..., um it'll be good for him too."

"Caroline's pregnant?"

"Yeah, they sprung that news on us a couple of weeks ago."

"Okay then. I'll let you know if Mikael finds out anything. Maybe we can all get together again when you get back to discuss things and form some sort of a plan if Mikael learns anything productive?"

"That's a good idea. I'll keep in touch. Listen Ric, I have some work to finish up before my date tonight so I'm going to say goodbye.."

Wait? You have a date tonight?"

"I do."

"I'm really happy about that Damon. I'll let you go. Bye now."

After finishing with Ric, I clear off my desk so I can get out of here. Before I leave, I pop into Stefan's office and tell him that I'm leaving for the day and ask him to lock up for me. Fortunately he doesn't give me any grief about Elena today. If he continues to make the work environment so frosty for Elena, he and I will have words. I also make a quick stop in Elena's office to tell her that I need to leave earlier than I expected and that I will see her tonight. Although I sensed a little disappointment that we wouldn't be leaving together, I plan to make it up to her tonight.

Deciding not to wait for the bus, I hop into a taxi, directing him to 'Enzo's Floral and Gifts' so I can grab some flowers.

"Can I help you?" the clerk asks when I step inside.

"Please. I'm looking for some flowers for a lovely young lady. I have no idea what she likes as our relationship is pretty new."

"Well, ladies always seem to like roses?"

"I like roses too but it seems like such a common thing. I'd like something unique." Motioning with his finger for me to follow, he points to an arrangement that in the cooler.

"This one consists of sunflowers, red roses, orange Alstroemeria, orange poms and purple Statice. What do you think?"

"That's the one."

He takes it out of the cooler and walks over to the cashier's counter. After paying for it, I jump back in the taxi to go home. Handing the driver some cash, I get out of the car and go into the house to shower and get cleaned up.

"What's this?" dad asks, pointing at the flowers when I step into the house.

"They're for Elena. She invited me over for supper and movie."

"Well, well. That is good news, Damon. Why don't you give me those so you can shower and put on a change of clothes."

"Thanks dad." After handing him the vase, I practically gallop up the stairs opening my shirt buttons as I go. Once I get to my room, I quickly shed my clothes and get into the shower. when I'm done, I turn the water off, wrap a towel around my waist and step out. I spray on some deodorant and some of my favorite cologne. I have some stubble but I just don't feel like shaving so I blow it off, walking into my bedroom to get dressed. After taking a few moments to pet DC and cuddle with him a little bit, I run downstairs and into the living room.

"I just wanted to tell you that I'm leaving now dad. I don't know what time I'll be home tonight so if it's late, I'm saying goodnight now.

"Damon, don't worry about me. I just want you to go and enjoy yourself for an evening. It's been a long time."

"It has. And thanks, dad. Bye now." Sucking in a deep breath, I pick up the flower vase and walk out of the door and slowly down the street to Elena's house.

* * *

"Come in Damon." She then steps back so I can walk inside of her house. I look into her eyes, nod just slightly then walk in, handing her the flowers once I'm beside her.

"Damon, they're beautiful. You shouldn't have."

"I wanted to."

"Thank you so much. Have a seat, I'm just going to check the stove." After setting the flowers down on the end table, she walk away and into the kitchen. The table is set for two with her mismatched plates and silverware yet it couldn't be more perfect. I think to myself.

"Damon?"

"Sorry, I was just daydreaming for a moment," I reply, smiling at her.

"Have a seat," I tell her, sliding over to make room for her. Once she's beside, I take her hand in one of mine while stroking the top with my other hand. I feel her visibly relax at my ministrations. Letting her hand fall, I lean over to lift a wispy kiss from her lush, full red lips.

"That's nice," she whispers, reaching up to cradle my face with her palms, pulling my lips back to hers. Just as our kiss heats up, the oven timer goes off, breaking the spell.

"Time to eat." I shiver at the way she continues to stare at my own lips. I give her one more quick kiss before standing up, pulling her along with me. She made a pot roast with all the trimmings. It's absolutely delicious. I'm glad she knows how to cook. For desert, she made rhubarb pie which has always been a favorite of mine. My mother used to make it during the summer for us.

"What are you thinking about?"

"My mom used to make us rhubarb pie when we were growing up. It's always been a favorite. How did you know?"

"I asked Stefan what you liked?"

"Really? Was he decent to you?"

"He's very stiff, almost frosty around me. Do you know why?"

Not wanting to hurt her feelings, I just tell her that he's always that way with new people till he gets to know them better. I know I should be truthful with her but I don't want to spoil this evening. After we finish, she shows me where the dishes and silverware go so I can put them away as she washes them. Once I dry the last piece of silverware and put it away, she takes my hand and leads me back to the living room.

"What movie do you want to watch?"

She then hands me a stack of DVD's.

"My gosh, Elena. These are all of the old Disney classics that I loved watching as a little boy," I exclaim excitedly, my eyes wide and my mouth slightly agape.

"A little birdie told me that you're a little kid at heart sometimes."

"Let watch ' _That Darn Cat'._ DC is named after the cat in this movie. And you have the original version. It's the best. Oh and you have ' _The Shaggy Dog'_ too, the Fred McMurray version. Oh Elena, I'm just giddy here," I laugh, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. Once I put the movie in and press play, we sit back on the couch and watch it. I wrap my arm around her so she's snuggled in against my chest. We're both laughing so hard that it feels like the couch is shaking with us. Sometime during the movie, Elena got up and made us some popcorn which we devoured greedily.

When the credits finally appear on the screen, I have my feet elevated on her coffee table with a beautiful Elena still in my arms. Sitting up, I grab the remote and click the TV off before settling back against the couch.

When our eyes meet, it's like they're magnetic because I can't stop myself from pulling her onto my lap and kissing her senseless. Our lips mold and slide against each other, our tongues battling it out when she opens her perfect shaped lips for me. Feeling myself beginning to harden, I readjust my pants for comfort. Her eyes are exploding in lust when I break the kiss so I gently lay her down on the couch with me on top of her. I grind my groin into her when she moans aloud as I continue to pepper her face and neck with kisses and nuzzles.

Sucking in my lower lip, I slowly slip my hand under her shirt so I can feel the softness of her skin. Ever so lightly, I move my fingers upwards till I reach her breast. Whether consciously or not, when she arches her chest into my hand, I start to massage her breast that fits perfectly in my hand. Dropping my lips to hers again, I use my thumb to work her nipple till it's erect, stroking it she's gasping and moaning aloud. With her permission, I raise her body and pull her shirt off and then mine. My mouth drops when I stare at her bosom for the first time.

"You're so beautiful, Elena," I whisper, lowering my lips to encircle one nipple while my hands tease the other.

"Damon," she whispers, using her hands to push my head further into her chest. She hisses when I worry her nipple gently with my teeth. I start to suckle and stroke it in earnest when her gasps and quivers urge me on. When I begin to pull my mouth away, I keep ahold of her nipple till it breaks free with a plopping sound. I then turn my attention to her other breast. I suckle and bite and tease it with my tongue till I feel her body undulating underneath me. Reaching down, I need to reposition myself again as my cock is straining under its denim prison.

Since my hand is already down south, I finger my way up to the waistband of her yoga pants and slide my hand inside while at the same time, I lift a scorching kiss from her lips. When I reach the apex of her thighs, I find her lady parts moist with desire. I give her clit a light pass with my index finger before thrumming it gently. When I see how her eyes are smoldering with fire, I kiss her. With my lips still engaged against her mouth, I inch my hand in further, stroking her sex. Taking a chance I plunge a finger inside. Finding her so wet and so hot, my cock strains against the zipper of my jeans. Trying to shake off my lust so I can pleasure her, I continue to tease and caress her insides, running a pass along her front wall.

"Damon, more," she whimpers, her hips rising and falling to meet my fingers as they work her to completion. Several seconds later, I feel her body begin to quiver and quake against my fingers as her insides clamp down on me. As I stroke her through it, the look of rapture on her face is unforgettable. When her body finally relaxes, I pull my hand out and kiss her like tonight is our last night on earth. When I pull away, we stare into each others eyes for a long time. I shimmy down to remove her pants but stop when she grabs onto my wrist, halting my movements.

"I want more Damon. But I'm not ready to go there yet. I've been stuck in Happy Dale since I was fifteen. I haven't been with a man... I want this with you, I do but not yet. Please understand."

Shaking my head, I lower my lips to hers once more to steal another torrid kiss from her lips. When I sit up, I pull her along with me.

"Of course, I understand, Elena. We'll go as slow as you want. You just make me feel so many things that I thought I'd never feel again."

Cradling my face again with her soft hands, she drops a kiss to my lips then looks me squarely in the eyes.

"I feel so much with you too, Damon. And I really want this," she explains, looking down at my bulge, "just not yet. Thank you for being so good to me." I can see the sincerity in her eyes, so different from what I've known before.

"I'm more than happy to wait till you feel you're ready. I want our first time to be special too."

"I'm going to go home now. I told you that I'm leaving to go to my childhood home with my dad so I won't be around for the next week to ten days. Dad is moving in with me so I'm flying to Florida to help him get his things in order. Stefan is going to follow me down. We were going to fly together but he wants to go to Caroline's OB appointment with her. She's pregnant."

"That's wonderful."

I don't miss the winsome look in her eyes. Reaching up, I stroke her cheek with my fingers, closing my eyes at how good it feels just to be with her.

"You have my number so you can call me or we can skype on the computer."

"You're a wonderful man, Damon Salvatore. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me and for your patience and understanding."

"I care about you, Elena. I want this too." I take her hand in mine as she walks me to the front door. After stealing one more magical kiss and a hug, I step outside, only walking away when she pushes the door closed.

* * *

 _Thank you Eva. Love you lots._

 _And thank you, all of you who took the time to review. Next up, Damon and his dad in Florida among other things._

 _Chapter title: 'Hello' by Lionel Richie_

 _I did update ' **Angels Fall** ' yesterday and ' **Rainy Days and Mondays** ' last Thursday. Would love to hear your comments on those as well._

 _Please remember to click that ' **Review** ' button. _

_Again, I wish you all a safe and prosperous and happy 2016. We'll see you next time._


	13. Winds of Change

"Dad, do you want to keep this?" I ask, holding up an old stand mixer. He laughs a little, shaking his head no.

"Did you talk to the auction company this morning?" I look at him a moment before continuing to sort out kitchen stuff.

"I did. They've scheduled my auction for a month from Friday so I want to get most of this done before you fly back. I'm going to stay here till then."

"I can arrange for a moving company to bring the things you want to keep to my, I mean our place."

"I'd like that. It's one less thing I need to worry about then. I'm going to have to spend some time at the cemetery with your mom before I leave too," he says, turning to look at me with melancholy clearly visible in his eyes.

"Dad, are you absolutely sure about this? As much as I want you with me and Stefan, I want your happiness more."

"I'm sure, Damon. I know your mom would agree. If she were alive, we'd probably already be living there anyway."

"I miss her too, so much sometimes, a lot actually." Our eyes meet in remembrance of my mom. Putting aside the kitchenware for a moment, I pick up a photo album and begin to thumb through it, smiling widely when I find one of dad helping me learn to hit a baseball while mom is pitching to me. I don't know who took the picture but mom is on the pitcher's mound while dad is helping me holding onto the bat.

"Look at this one, dad." Walking over to where he's standing, I point out the picture to him.

"Yes, I remember this. Stefan was a toddler. We had signed you up to play little league baseball. Mom insisted that we give you a feel for the game before the season started. That was a good day." He gives my shoulder a squeeze as we reminisce.

"I couldn't hit squat at first but by the time the season ended, I had a pretty decent batting average."

"Mom and I were at every game."

"Thanks for everything dad," I add, gratitude in my voice. Taking a deep breath, I set the photo album down to look over it more later. I return to the task at hand and start putting cookware and dishes in boxes to be sold. As the afternoon begins to wind down, I have all the cupboards emptied and boxed up save for a few dishes for dad to use when I leave.

"Are you hungry?" After putting the book down, I turn to face him.

"I am. What sounds good to you?"

"Is that seafood place still open? You know, the one that we all used to love?"

"It is. You want lobster?

"Yeah. Come on, dad. My treat. I'm just going to wash up a bit then we can go. You're driving," I remind him, shaking my head at my stupidity. I'll never drive while intoxicated again. I'll be forever grateful that I didn't hurt anyone.

* * *

"Hello Carol. This is Damon Salvatore. I was wondering if I could say hello to Anna?"

"Damon, it's good to talk to you. Are you still in Florida?"

"Yes, I'll be here for several more days. I promised Anna that I'd call her."

"That was really nice of you. I'm going to put you on hold. I'll go see if she's in the main building. Why don't you give me your cell number so I can call you back if I have to go outside to find her?" I read it off to her and then I hear the 'elevator music' in the background so I know that I'm now on hold. Dad and I are taking a day off tomorrow to go to the beach. Honestly, I haven't gone out my surfboard for so long. It's like riding a bike or learning how to drive a stick shift. I already know I'm going to be rusty but I'm looking forward to going out on the water.

When the background music stops in the receiver, I hear a little voice. "Damon?" she says in her sweet little voice.

"Hi Anna. Yes, it's Damon. How are you?"

"Me miss you," she says, her voice soft.

"Oh sweetheart, I miss you too. I'll come to see you as soon as I get home, okay?"

"Okay..."

"How is school?" I ask her, my heart breaking that she sounds so disheartened.

"Ewena help me."

"I'm glad. When I get home, I can help you too. I'm going to bring you a surprise when I come home. How does that sound?"

"Me like that," she yips, finally sounding happy.

"Listen sweetie, I have to go now. I'll come to see you as soon as I get home from my daddy's house, okay?" When I hear a very soft sounding yes, I ask her to give the phone back to Carol.

"She's so excited now, Damon. She ran off when she saw Elena step into the atrium. I can't hear her but I can see how animatedly she's behaving with Elena."

"Elena is there?" I ask.

"Yes, she actually came to visit Anna today too. But I need to go now. I'll see you when you get back. Bye now," Carol says, ending the call.

* * *

"It's a beautiful day."

"It is dad. I was surprised to see you bring your surfboard along too?"

"Why? I'm not that ancient," he scoffs, giving me a wink. Shaking my head, I stare out of the window watching the scenery roll by. My mind drifts to Elena till my reverie is broken when I hear dad utter my name. Sucking in a breath, I turn to him, staring for a few seconds.

"Dad, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he says, glancing at me for a millisecond before turning his eyes back to the road ahead.

"It's about Elena. I really like her dad."

"And..?"

"I think there's something very sad in her past. I think there's more to it than the fact that she was in Happy Dale for six years. I just have a hunch that there's something deeper?" I muse, looking out of the window again this time at the cloud shapes in the sky. I smile a little when I see one that looks like an elephant.

"I know you're my dad but you're only fifty two. Have you ever been out, been with anyone since mom died? I mean, she's been gone for eleven years already."

Hearing his heavy sigh, he reaches over with one hand and squeezes my arm for a moment. "Damon, your mother was and will always be the love of my life. But to answer your question, yes, I've gone out with other women since she died. I didn't have any interest in dating or even thinking about dating for two, three years after she passed away. I hope you understand," he says, his voice a little unsure.

"Dad, don't feel bad. I understand. Elena and I we started to... but then she stopped me. She said she had things to tell me first. I don't know if she's afraid that I won't want her after... I feel good when I'm with her. Does that make any sense?"

"Of course it does. I want you to find some happiness again Damon. If this girl does that, then I'm on your side. Just take it slow. I mean, she needs time to adjust to living outside of Happy Dale too. I can't tell you how proud I am of you for stepping up and helping both Elena and Anna. I miss her by the way," he adds, turning to look at me when we stop at a red light.

"Thanks dad. I was thinking maybe we could take Anna out for another day or even an overnight. She's really fond of Elena too. Perhaps the four of us could do something together?"

"I'd like that, Damon," he says, just as he parks the car, ending our conversation for now. Taking a deep breath, I step out of the car, my mind turning to Stef for whatever reason. He was supposed to fly here to help dad and I out with the packing. He flew in last weekend, hooked up with some of his old friends then flew back to Texas, claiming the business demanded one of us be there to take care of things. I haven't asked Elena if he's treating her any better yet. I didn't want to have a war of words with him in front of dad. If he's still misbehaving around her, he and I will talk and he will apologize to her.

After I lift both of our boards out of the rear of the car, we carry them down to the beach. We both slather sun screen on before walking out into the surf. Once I'm in about three feet of water, I slide onto it. Laying on my belly, I use my arms to paddle out into deeper water to try to catch a few waves. Dad is a few feet away from me. He taught Stefan and I how to surf when we were kids. Mom actually used to surf too till she hurt her back when she stepped wrong, falling down the stairs.

When I see a wave rolling in, I paddle out and backdoor the wave, riding it to it's completion. Raising my arms in a cheer, I turn my board around and head back into the waves. Once I see another one that I want, I drop in to the wave my dad is riding, following behind him. After we ride it out, I grab his hand and pull him in a for a guy hug.

"I'm really glad we decided to do this," I tell him as the two of us walk out of the water. We're both sunburnt by the time we decide to call it a day. Without warning, Dad turns into the McDonald's drive through telling me he's thirsty and wants a little something to eat before we drive home. I buy us each a drink and an ice cream cone. He pulls into one of the parking spots to eat it before taking off for home.

"Thank you son. This is good."

"Their ice cream cones really aren't bad," I tell him, taking a big lick of my own ice cream. When dad finishes his, he starts the car, pulling back onto the highway to drive us home. He lives approximately ninety minutes from the beach. It was close enough for us to be able to come to the ocean frequently but far enough away to avoid the summer tourism madness.

"Damon?"

"What?" I ask, looking around as I try to get my bearings.

"Relax Damon," dad says, "I just wanted to tell you that we're home."

"I love the water but it really wears you out sometimes."

"That it does. Let's go in the house," he says. I nod, unbuckle my seatbelt, opening the car door and getting out. After taking out surfboards out of the vehicle, I put them away before walking into the house. I drop down onto the sofa, my head falls back and soon, I'm sound asleep again. I don't know how much time passes before he's waking me up again to tell me that I have a phone call.

"Hello?" I say, trying to shake off my fatigue.

"Hi Damon," I hear her say, immediately bringing a smile to my face.

"Elena, hi. I'm sorry I didn't call earlier. Dad and I went surfing so I'm completely wiped," I tell her.

"No worries. I just wanted to tell you that I miss you."

"I miss you too. I'm coming home Sunday. My flight is scheduled to arrive a DFW at two thirty seven. My flight number is 804. I'd love for you to be there?"

"I'll pick you up unless you have other plans that is?" she says, her voice a little hesitant.

"I'd love that Elena," I say softly.

"Anna was so excited that you called her. I went to see her you know."

"I do know that. Carol Lockwood mentioned that when I was done talking to Anna. I got her a stuffed dolphin. Do you think she'll like it?"

"Of course she will. She loves her stuffed animals."

"I also picked up a baby doll for her. My mom loved dolls. She collected them. Dad won't part with them so they'll be displayed in my house at some point. Don't you tell anyone." I tease.

"That's sweet. Why would anyone care if you choose to honor your mom that way?" she scoffs.

"No one will. I was joking," I laugh.

"Listen, I have to go now. I'm actually going to a movie with Caroline. She invited me because Stefan won't go with her to see 'Cinderella'."

"Is he treating you any better?"

"He's not overly talkative but I would say that he's not as short with me as he was. I think he's coming around," she tells me.

"I hope so. I'll let you go. If she has to wait for you, she'll have my ass when I get home. Bye now," I whisper, pressing a kiss to the receiver. I actually hear her say it back with a kiss just before the phone call ends.

* * *

"Thanks for taking me to the airport dad. I'll fly in so I can help with the auction okay?"

"I would really appreciate that son," he tells me, wrapping me in his arms. "You call when you get home so I know you got there safely, okay?"

"I will, I promise."

"I'll see you in a couple of weeks."

"Bye dad. I love you," I tell him softly, setting my bag down to give him a hug. After telling me that he loves me too, he gives me one last hug before walking out of the airport. After sitting in the airport for an hour and a half, we're finally allowed to board. Once I get on the plane, I settle into my seat and thumb through the magazine that's in the seat pocket in front of me. As soon as the plane is airborne, I pull my baseball cap down over my eyes and let sleep consume me. Next thing I hear is the flight attendant tell us to buckle up that the plane is making its final decent into DFW. I can hardly wait to see Elena. I've been gone nearly two weeks. Maybe I can talk her into flying to Florida with me when I go back in two weeks for dad's auction.

After disembarking, I make my way through the airport to the baggage carousel assigned to my flight. I grab my suitcase and just as I turn around, I see a beautiful brunette running towards me with a smile on her face that matches my own. Dropping my suitcase I open my arms, wrapping them around her as soon as she's within reach.

"Hi," I whisper. Without waiting for her to say a word, I crash my lips to hers, pressing and molding and sliding our mouths together till I hear some guy rudely say, "Get a room," right next me.

Pulling back, it's like only the two of us exist for a long moment.

"Wow," she gasps, pressing her fingers to her lips in awe.

"Yes wow," I add, stealing another one.

"I was wondering if you could come over unless you're too tired that is?"

I can't help but notice that she looks a little on edge.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. I just want you to know me, Damon. All of me."

"I want to know all of you and I want you to know me too, Elena. Let's get out of here."

When she nods, I lace our fingers together and the two of us walk out of the airport hand in hand.

* * *

"Thanks for making supper for me, Elena. It was really good. How did DC behave for you?" I ask as I dry the plate she hands me. I'd get her a dishwasher but she said she likes getting her hands wet. To each his own I guess, I shake my head slightly.

"DC is such a handsome cat. He likes to snuggle." Her eyes are full of mirth while she pets him.

"And what's that face about?"

"DC can be pretty aloof. He likes to snuggle for a little bit and then he goes his merry way. This face," I utter, pointing my index finger at myself, "is thinking about a dishwasher and how you said you liked washing dishes." I shudder as I put another plate away.

"Please," she scoffs.

"What's wrong with a little manual labor?"

"Not a thing, sweetheart." Leaning forward, I capture her lips in a heady kiss.

"Can we talk?" she asks, looking a little apprehensive. Nodding, I take her hand and lead her out to the couch, taking a seat beside her.

"I don't know where to start?" I can tell how anxious she is given the way she's twisting in knots in her lap.

"Elena, sweetheart, just relax. Nothing you're going to say is going to make me run." Attempting to reassure here, I place my hand atop of her knotted ones, giving them a squeeze.

Sucking her lower lip into her mouth, she stares at me for a few seconds.

"When I was fifteen, I got involved with an older guy. I was a freshman, he was a senior. I told him that I wasn't ready. Um... there was a party one weekend. I remember he gave me what he said was a lemonade. And it did taste like it but I don't remember anything after that. Several weeks later, I started getting sick to my stomach all the time. Certain smells would really set me off. My best friend at the time asked me if I was pregnant. I told her that I couldn't be because Mason and I hadn't done it yet."

Looking scared and anxious, she reaches up to wipe the tears that are starting to leak from her eyes.

Although I'm certain I know where her story is leading and despite the dread I feel for her, I slide over, close enough to pull her into my arms. After inhaling a deep breath to calm my own nerves, I press a light kiss to her temple before letting her continue.

"When my symptoms failed to let up, my girlfriend bought me a couple of pregnancy tests. Believe me, no one was more stunned than me when they came up positive. Mason had to have drugged that lemonade." Her tears fall a little more freely, I hold her even tighter when I feel her start to quiver in my arms.

"My parents were the movers and shakers in my home town and couldn't bear to be stigmatized by a pregnant teenager. When I told them what happened, rather than go to the police and bring unwanted attention to themselves, they sent me away," she says softly, reaching for another tissue.

"They sent me to Happy Dale and washed their hands of me." Sucking in a deep shuddering breath, she pauses for a second before continuing.

"My son was born on a dark stormy night, at three o seven in the morning. My memory of that night is so fuzzy, I could have sworn I heard him cry, at least I thought I did but then they put something in my IV... I don't remember anything after that."

I lean over, pressing a kiss to her cheek, capturing her tears with my mouth. Elena looks in my eyes, raising her hand to palm my face.

"When I woke up the next day, they told me he was stillborn. They showed me his death certificate. I must've imagined hearing him cry but it's sounded so real."

"I'm so sorry, Elena." I gently in my arms as I ply the crown of her head with kisses.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you stay at Happy Dale after he was born? I mean, why didn't you go back home?"

"My parents know a lot of important people. They got a Judge to declare me mentally ill after I insisted that I heard him cry. My fifteen year old mind couldn't believe he died and I retreated into myself. I wouldn't talk to anyone. I was depressed after everything that happened, I just wanted to die. Although I'm ashamed of it now, I did contemplate suicide but I could never actually act on it."

"Elena, I'm so, so sorry." My heart breaking for her because I know how it feels to lose someone so important. Turning to face her, I kiss her tears away while holding her close. I can't even begin to imagine how scared and alone she must have felt when she realized that her boyfriend drugged and raped her. Then on top of that, her own parents betrayed and abandoned her. This Mason should be languishing in prison for raping her. My heart is breaking inside for what she's had to endure. If holding her like this brings her some semblance of comfort, I'll gladly hold her this way all night. She's still shaking and my tee shirt is wet from her tears but I won't let go. After what feels like hours, I feel her breathing even out and her muscles beginning to relax as the tension slowly evaporates from her body.

When she gives my hand a squeeze and scoots in even closer, I reposition a little when I feel her hand accidentally brush over my groin. A slight groan escapes my mouth when she looks up at me with hooded eyes, wanton eyes. Sucking her lower lip into her mouth, she continues to stare while at the same time uses her hand to take swipe at my growing bulge causing a shiver to surge up my spine. I take a deep breath then slam my lips against hers. Reaching up to cradle her face, I tilt her head just enough to deepen our kiss, hanging on till the need for air forces us apart.

"Damon?" Fisting her fingers into my shirt, she uses it for leverage to bring our lips together again. After planting my hands on her hips, I pull her onto my lap, letting her straddle me while greedily returning her kiss. I missed touching her and the taste of her lips as they slide against mine. When I feel her hands grip the hem of my tee shirt, I pull back, raising my arms allowing her to tug it over my head. I moan aloud when her hands caress my chest and stroke my nipples. My lips latch onto hers melding them with mine till we're both breathless and panting. After nodding her approval, I finger the hem of her shirt and pull it off.

"Bed?" Nodding, she stands up to take my hand. Using both of her hands, she tugs at mine till I'm standing in front of her. I lace our fingers together and whip her flush against my body to nuzzle her neck. When I let release my lips she takes my hand again, leading us into her bedroom. Fortunately she picked a nice big bed. While our lips are molded together, with deft hands, I reach up and unclasp her bra, sliding it down her arms when she pulls away to suck in a breath of air.

Using both hands, I cup her breasts, flicking her nipples with my thumbs while leaning forward to nuzzle her neck with bites and wispy kisses. Using my mouth, I trail my lips down her neck, capturing one of her nipples in my mouth. Scraping first one then the other with my teeth, I'm spurred onward by the beautiful sounds that escape her mouth from the onslaught of my mouth on her skin.

Taking a breath, I reach down and start to unbutton her jeans, pulling away so I can slide them and her panties down her svelte legs. Seeing her spread out like a delicacy, I crawl onto the bed and begin feasting on her center, feeling emboldened when her hands twist in my hair while my name spills from her lips when she crescendos. Using my tongue, I help her ride it out before letting go and stalking up her body. When she opens her eyes, she wraps her palm around my neck, dragging our lips together in a long sensuous kiss as she tastes herself on my lips.

We continue to kiss passionately albeit slowly while I savor having her back in my arms. "You're wearing too many clothes," she tells me, her pout adorable. I slide away long enough to shimmy out of my jeans and boxers before crawling back to the cradle formed by her spread thighs, eyes closing with a grunt when my tip rubs along the wet moist folds of her womanhood. With one more sultry kiss, I sink inside of her, pausing to let her adjust as I know it's been a very long time for both of us.

"Damon?" she asks, tears forming in her eyes.

"It's okay, we're okay," I whisper soothingly, taking a moment to tenderly finger her hair from her forehead as I stare into her burnished brown eyes.

"I'm ready."

With a nod, I press my lips to hers, deepening the kiss and surging farther inside of her till I can't push in any deeper. When I hear her delicious moans and whimpers, I pull out and push back in. She holds on tight, raising her hips to meet my thrusts, joining me in our lovemaking, making me feel alive for the first time in forever. Accelerating our pace, I push and pull even harder till I feel that familiar spot in my belly tighten. Finding it harder and harder to hold back because being inside her is exquisite so unlike anyone else I've ever been with, I work my body even harder.

When she comes with a cry of my name on her lips, I splinter into a million tiny blazing pieces of white heat, holding on tight as waves of ecstasy crash over me. The way her body grips my length is intensifying every pulse and shudder as my body quivers chaotically with aftershocks. Once my orgasm finally wanes, I collapse on top of her, completely boneless while still buried deep inside of her.

Her fingers run up and down my sweat dampened skin, holding me to her. With a shaky hand, I reach up to push a strand of hair off of her beautiful face. After tucking it behind her ear, I lift a quick kiss from her lips before rolling off her, detaching my body from hers. Laying to face her, I pull her into my arms, pressing kiss after kiss to the crown of her head while her fingers gently rub circles on my chest.

"Can you stay?"

"I'll stay," I reassure her.

"Go to sleep now, baby. I'll be here when you open those beautiful eyes." After lifting one more smoldering kiss from her lips, I close my eyes, reveling in the feeling having this girl in my arms.

* * *

 _Thank you so much for everything Eva. Love you lots. If not for your brilliantly fertile mind, I wouldn't be here._

 _Thanks so much to all of you as well for the reviews. I appreciate them so much._

 _Chapter title: 'Winds of Change' by The Scorpions_

 _I have begun to post ' **Angels Fall** '. I would love to hear your thoughts on it._

' ** _Rainy Days and Mondays_** ' _updated yesterday. We are nearing the end on that one._

 _' **Dig** ' is coming along. I have a bit of it to write yet though. _

_And before I forget, a round of applause for P. She submitted a fundraising idea for ISF and had it was accepted almost immediately. Congratulations my friend._

 _As always, have a safe and lovely weekend. We'll see you next week._


	14. Show and Tell

I wake up blissfully content for the first time in I can't remember when. A needy moan escapes my mouth when I feel her rubbing her bottom against my morning wood. As if they had a mind of their own, my hips move and rub against her bare backside, generating the delicious friction we both seem to be craving. I pull one of her legs over my hip, opening her up. Spurred on by the beautiful noises that are spilling from her mouth, I stroke her already wet lady parts, thumbing her engorged clit before slipping a finger deep inside of her. I lean forward nuzzling that spot behind her ear that I found last night. My eyes never leave her face as I stroke her to completion. I never want to forget the look that I put there as she wafts back to earth.

Wanting more, I gently position her on her tummy. Using my hand, I bend her knee, pushing it up to make room for my body in the cradle formed by her legs. She turns her head when the weight of my body nudges her firmly into the mattress. I capture her lush lips in a searing kiss at the same time I sink deep inside of her. After reaching up to lace our fingers together, I move in a slow yet spine-tingling rhythm. Words can't express how good it feels to be inside of her. Letting go of one hand, I twist my fingers into her hair, gently fingering her scalp as I press sloppy kisses to her shoulders and neck. Closing my eyes, I lose myself inside of her as I continue to push in and pull out lazily, wanting to savor every moment.

I focus on the sound of her breathing and how her back molds to my front, smiling in wonder when it dawns on me that we're one. I can't tell where she begins and I end. Before long, I feel the pressure building deep in my gut. With each of my strokes, her moans and whimpers are magic to my ears as I continue to move inside of her. My thrusts are becoming less even and more chaotic as I chase my release. Feeling the fire in my belly as it ignites into a raging inferno, I push even harder. When I feel her inner walls gripping me tightly, the waves of her climax releasing my own. Coming with a sound of her name on my lips, I collapse onto her, my body quavering against hers.

Once I can feel my limbs again, I roll off of her. When she rolls onto her side, she leans up on one arm before leaning in lift a sweet kiss from my lips. "That was..." I feel a shiver because her voice is so husky sounding in the aftermath.

Reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear, I whisper reverently, "I have no words either."

With a wink, I pull her onto my chest, wrapping my arms around her. Although perfectly content to stay this way all day, I just happen to notice what time it is. Lifting my head, I capture her lips in one more sizzling kiss before gently rolling her off of me so I can sit up at the bedside.

"How about I fix you some breakfast?"

"That sounds nice. I'm going to take a shower."

"Mmm, why don't we conserve water and take that shower together? I'll make breakfast when we're done." I propose, raising my eyebrows at her teasingly.

"I like that idea." Completely naked, she shimmies her hips while walking into the bathroom, turning her back to look at me when she reaches the threshold.

When she pulls her lower lip between her teeth, I'm a goner. I get up and follow her. It's as if she's pulling me on a leash. After losing ourselves in each other once more in the shower, we get out and get dressed for the day. Telling her to relax, I go into the kitchen to start making breakfast for us.

* * *

"Did you talk to your dad?" She turns her head to look at me as we walk hand in hand down the sidewalk.

"Yeah. With everything you told me last night, I didn't bring it up but I promised him that I'd fly back for his auction in a couple of weeks. Once he has his affairs settled, he's going to move in with me. What I was wondering is... would you consider going with me?"

"Damon, I would like that but I have to work. I'm not wealthy like you."

"I never thought of that. But perhaps you could fly in for the weekend?" Hoping she'll agree, I hold my breath a moment.

"I'm anxious for you to meet my dad."

"He's a good guy?"

"Yeah, he's a really good guy. I've had some problems of my own, Elena. That's why I was sentenced to do community service at Happy Dale. I was arrested for drinking and driving. I was very careless and very stupid and I thank God everyday that I didn't hurt anyone. He dropped everything to come to me," I explain, giving her hand a squeeze.

"You're lucky. It was never like that with my mom and dad. The hired help pretty much raised me and Jeremy," she utters, looking down at the sidewalk as we continue our walk.

"I am indeed. He's my best friend." I hadn't realized it till now that he's always been more than my dad. When I see her reach up with her free hand to wipe her nose, I give her other hand a squeeze.

"Speaking of Jeremy, I assume he's your brother?"

"You would assume correctly," she says, smiling tightly.

"Do you know where he is? You told me that you wanted to reconnect with him."

"I don't know if he's still in Virginia or not? I don't have a clue as to where to begin to look for him."

"I have a friend whose dad is a private detective. Maybe he could find him for us, I mean you? Um... have you tried searching for his name with your computer?"

"No, I haven't done that. I suppose I should try that first. I'm sure I wouldn't be able to afford a private detective," she says with an uncomfortable laugh.

"They are pretty expensive..., but if Mikael could find him for you," I add, the wheels churning in my head that maybe I can find him for her.

"It would be wonderful but I can't afford a detective till I get a little nest egg stashed away," she states firmly, while looking away from me.

"You're right Elena. I'm sorry if I've overstepped my bounds. I can't imagine being in your shoes right now. But you will tell me if I can be of any help won't you?"

"You don't need to apologize and I know your heart is in the right place but we're form different worlds, Damon," she utters, her eyes downcast. Using my hand, I gently palm her chin, tilting it up so I can stare into her soulful brown eyes.

"My money means little to me if I can't help people with it. I don't care if we're from 'different worlds' as you say. I like you Elena, a lot and I want to see where this...," I motion between the two of us with my other hand, "takes us," I stress to her, my voice echoing all the sincerity that I can muster.

Smiling tightly, she nods ever so subtly.

"Okay then. You will tell me if I can help find your brother won't you?"

"Yes, but what if he wants nothing to do with me either? I don't know that my parents haven't indoctrinated him to thinking that I'm trash." Reaching up, she pinches the bridge of her nose.

"Don't ever talk about yourself that way again. Please Elena, don't." My tone is such that she pauses a moment.

"I mean it. I won't have you speaking about yourself that way."

Nodding, she assures me she won't. I'm lost in her eyes as she stares into my eyes and then my mouth only stopping long enough to cradle my face between her palms and kissing me soundly.

"Come, I'll push you on the swings." I waggle my brows at her suggestively hoping to make her swoon just a bit. We walk over to the swings and when she sits down, I walk behind her. Giving her a gentle push, she starts pumping with her legs till she's soaring with the breeze. I step back, grab my phone out of my pocket and take her picture, smiling widely when I catch her big ear to ear smile on film.

* * *

After spending a wonderful weekend with Elena, I find myself daydreaming about her when I step into Happy Dale Monday morning for my regularly scheduled time allotment. Finding my way to the office, I give the door a slight knock, entering only when I hear April's voice saying to come in.

"Good morning, Damon. It's been awhile," she remarks, eyeing me curiously.

"I was out of town helping my dad with some things. I did okay my leave with both the court and Carol."

"I see. Mrs. Lockwood didn't mention it. Well, we're glad you're back. Anna has been relentless, asking about you all the time. It's getting old so I'm glad you're back," she says, rolling her eyes which lights my fuse. When I finish my last day here, I intend to give her a piece of my mind.

"She is just a little girl," I point out, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Oh I know that but...her whining is incessant and irritating," she adds, her voice trailing off.

Knowing I need to change the topic before I lose my temper, I ask her what my assignment is for the day.

"It looks like they want you to fill in for our gardener again today. Here's the key for the garage. That's where the riding mower is kept and the other things are stored." She walks into another room for a moment, coming back shortly with keys in hand.

"I remember. I'm going to get started." I take the keys from her and walk out of the office and towards the atrium. I want to see if Anna is around before I head outside. When I see her sitting by herself watching cartoons, I smile widely and walk over to her.

"Hi Anna. I've missed you."

"Damon," she squeaks then jumps on my lap to give me a hug.

"Where you go?"

"I went to see my daddy because he needed my help with some things."

"Daddy?"

"Yes, my daddy. I'm back now though. I missed you, Anna," I add, giving her a hug. She doesn't say anything, she just stares at me for a few seconds before sitting up on her knees while still on my lap. When she drops a sloppy kiss to my cheek, I give her a another big hug. After releasing her, I sit her back down on the couch.

"I have to go to work now, Anna. I'm going to ask Mrs. Lockwood if I can take you out again sometime. Would you like that?" She bobs her head up and down animatedly before turning her attention back to the cartoons. I stoop over and press a kiss to her head before saying goodbye and walking out to the gardens through the atrium door.

* * *

Having spent the entire afternoon mowing and cutting weeds, I'm exhausted, sweaty, hot and miserable by the time I finish up for the day. Deciding to walk the long way around rather than go through the atrium, I stroll along the sidewalk, pulling up any stray weeds that I missed. When I hear yelling, I step back behind the corner of the building. Cautiously I peak around it, my mouth dropping slightly when I see April and Dr. Nik going at it again. I can't really hear what they're saying but judging by their body language, It looks like they're both quite angry.

My eyes widen a minute when I see Nik poking a finger at her. In turn, she reels back and slaps him across the face. Without so much as a gasp, he gets in her face yelling something, steps back, throws his arms in the air then stalks off. I watch as April shakes her head, looks all around before walking off herself when she believes the coast is clear. Blowing out a breath, I think to myself that I wish I knew what was cooking in this place. Something is going on, I can feel in my gut. I just wish I knew what to look for. Knowing there's nothing I can do right now, I start to walk back to the office again so I can check out for the day.

When I step inside, all hot and bothered, smelly and stinky from working in the sun all day, I notice Carol looking at me curiously.

"Um, did you need something Carol?" I ask, picking up a pen so I can sign out for the day.

"No, no. You just look exhausted."

"I am. It's hard work and it's hot out. I'm going to go home now. I'll see you tomorrow." I give her a nod before stepping outside of the office. After pausing a moment, I take a breath and head outside to amble down to the bus station. When I hear the grinding of its brakes, I step onto the bus, staying on through the stops till he pulls over at the one closest to my house. Stefan would have the office closed by now.

After paying him, I hop out and walk the rest of the distance to my house. Completely exhausted as soon as I get into the house, I plop down on the couch, lay my head and close my eyes for a little while. Hearing my cellphone ringtone, I open my eyes and sit upright. I must've fallen asleep. My thoughts immediately jump to Elena. My girl, I think with a smile. She's been through hell and yet she seems or least she pretends that she's okay. Losing her baby like that after carrying him for nine months. It sounds like she didn't even have the opportunity to hold him in her arms a bit. The devastation she must have felt. Dropping my face into my hands, her story tugs at every heartstring inside of me. After taking a couple of deep breaths, I glance at my watch, it's only been about a half hour since I got home. Sighing heavily with fatigue, I pick it up my phone and answer.

"Hello?"

"Damon, it's Elena. I just wanted to check in with you. How was your day?"

"Hey sweetie. I'm completely worn out. I had to fill in for the groundskeeper again today. It is hard work but I like to stay busy and I did get to spend a few moments with Anna."

"How is she?"

"She seems okay. I tell you what though, Elena. When I'm done at Happy Dale, I'm going to give that April a piece of my mind. I don't like the way she talks about Anna as if she was less than human. She just seems to have such disdain for that little girl."

"In April's worldview, Anna is imperfect. I know she has special needs but that doesn't make her any less valuable you know?"

"I know. Maybe I can talk to Carol and we can take her for a picnic this weekend? Would you like that?"

"I'd like that a lot."

"Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Not really. But you're not coming over tonight. You said yourself that you're exhausted. You need to get a good night's sleep."

"You're no fun," I tease, although I know she's right.

"I'm lots of fun but you need to take care of yourself too."

"Alright you win. What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is good."

"I'll stop by in the morning so we can go to the office together. Is that okay with you?"

"Perfect. I'll even make you breakfast so come early."

"I will do that. I'll see you tomorrow Elena. I'm going to grab a bite to eat, hop in the shower and get in bed. I need to give my dad a call too. Bye now," I whisper, pressing a kiss to the receiver.

"Bye yourself," she replies then ends our call. Letting out a breath, I relax back into the sofa, a smile on my face when DC jumps on my lap. Resting contentedly on the couch, I stroke his silky soft fur till he purring while he finds a comfortable position and closes his eyes, snuggled tight against my belly.

* * *

After having breakfast of French toast with strawberries, Elena drove the two of us to work. With Mel's last days upon us, Elena needs to learn a few things yet. But Mel assures me that Elena is quite competent and will do an excellent job. I talked to Caroline about planning a going away party for her. Mel and I were in technical school together. We never dated but we were partners on a couple of computer projects. We got to be really good friends as a result. Her fiancé is a friend too but since he had to relocate for his new job, I haven't seen him for awhile.

After doing payroll, I decide I needed to get out of the building a little bit. I stop in Stefan's office to tell him that I'm going to go over to Ric's under the guise about asking him about my community service. I also make a point of telling Elena I'll be back a little later after which, I walk outside towards the law firm that Ric and Elijah work for.

"Come in Damon," Ric says when I peak through his office door.

"What do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was wondering if you've heard anything from Mikael at all?"

"Personally no, I haven't but perhaps Elijah has. I'll see if he has a moment to step in and talk to us."

I nod when he stands up, walking out to go to check on Eli. Moments later the two of them walk back in, Elijah taking a chair beside mine.

"Hi Elijah." I extend my hand to shake his.

"Damon, it's good to see you."

"You too. I was just wondering if you'd heard anything from your dad?"

"I'm glad you stopped by. I actually did talk to him last night. He's in Oklahoma City to talk to Miss Starr. Apparently she was on her honeymoon and then she was sent away on assignment. He finally has a meeting with her tomorrow."

"I'm really anxious to know what she has to say." Deep in thought, I tent my fingers as I stare at him.

"Me as well. I think we should get together once he gets back to town. He's working a couple of other cases too so he won't be back until next week or the week after."

"Could we do a conference call via phone or perhaps skype with him?"

"It's a possibility. I told him that I'd give him a call this evening. I'll mention it to him." Glancing at his watch, he stands up.

"I need to go, I have to see a client in a few minutes. It's good to see you, Damon. We'll talk soon." Just as he reaches the door, I tell him to hold up a minute.

"Hey, there's a Dr. Nik Mikaelson at Happy Dale, any relation to your family?"

"He's my cousin. But his name is verboten, that's German for forbidden by the way. He and his father, dad's brother, had a really bad falling out. He was disowned for all intents and purposes."

"I'm sorry for bringing him up."

"No worries. I honestly don't have a problem with him. As a matter of fact, I'd very much like to reacquaint myself with him. Give him my best the next time you see him. But I really need to go now. Later Ric," he says, stepping out of the door, pulling it closed behind him.

"I suppose I should get back to the office too."

"How are you doing buddy?" he asks, tilting his head slightly.

"I'm doing okay, Ric. Thanks for asking. I met a girl and I really, really like her."

"That's great. When can Jenna and I meet her?"

"Maybe the four of us can go out after everything is settled with dad. I'm flying back there for his sale the weekend after next. Most of the things he wants to keep have already been delivered by the moving company he hired. I'm going to drive back here with him once everything is final."

"Do you need any help carrying furniture or anything? I'd be glad to help."

"That would be great. His boxes are all piled up in the formal dining room."

"Let me know when you need me and give my best to Owen." His voice trails off when his secretary rings that his next appointment has arrived.

"Well, I guess that's my cue to leave. Have a good day, Ric." I stand up and walk to the door, turning my head back to him for a moment before walking out, excusing myself when his client walks in just as I walk out.

* * *

"Push," Anna squeals as I help her pretend to the ride the bouncy horse in the park. She's dressed in a pair of denim short overalls and with a little white tee shirt underneath and a pair of chucks on her feet. Elena put her hair in pigtails and she looks absolutely adorable.

"Off," she demands when she tires of the pony. I chuckle and lift her up and onto my shoulders to give her a piggyback ride. I trot around the sidewalk with her, smiling at the happy laughter that's escaping from her mouth. There's a kid's carnival in another park so we decide to check it out figuring that Anna has probably never been on one of the rides. After purchasing tickets, the three of us walk down the midway, Elena holding one hand, me holding her other. Jumping up and down, Anna points to the Ferris wheel. We get in line and wait our turn although a certain little miss is quite impatient. Cupping my face with her little hands, she squeezes my cheeks together forming a fish face. I pull her face close and use my 'fish' lips to kiss her cheeks.

She laughs so hard that I think she wet her panties. Realizing it, tears start to fill her eyes. The sight of her tears flips my heart inside my chest.

"Elena, I'll keep our place in line. Why don't you take her to change her panties?"

"Of course." Taking Anna from my arms, she carries her into a nearby bathroom, the baby bag hanging from her shoulder. Just as I reach the front of the line, Elena and Anna walk back over to me. After I hand the carnie our tickets, we step into our carriage, Anna seated between Elena and me. When the ride starts to move, her eyes widen to the size of saucers and a great big smile forms on her face. She looks all around.

"Up," she yelps excitedly.

"Yes Anna, we're going up." I drape one arm around her, protectively pulling her close to me. Using my eyes, I gesture for Elena to look at Anna. Her mouth is hanging open as she looks at the horizon and how high up we are. Elena breaks out in a big smile. When she mouths thank you, I form a kiss with my lips and blow it to her. She palms the side of her face, mouthing 'caught it'.

I can't help the great big teethy grin that fills my face.

After getting off the Ferris wheel, we take Anna on the merry go round and some of the other kiddie rides and get some supper before calling it a day. I got permission from Carol Lockwood to keep Anna out for an overnight. By the time we get back to my place. Carefully I lift her out of the car seat and carry her into the house. Having given Elena the house key, she holds the door open for me so I can carry her directly upstairs and into the room that is across the hall from mine. Elena follows to get her ready for bed.

I get out the baby monitor I purchased leaving one piece in here and setting the other piece in my room so we can hear her during the night should she wake up. I put my pictures away because I'm not ready to go into that with Elena just yet. It's so personal and it's so painful. As much as I care about Elena, I'm just not ready to share that part of me just yet. Once Anna is tucked in, the two of us go back downstairs, plopping into the couch, as a big yawn escapes my mouth.

"Thanks for coming along Elena. I had a really good time." Lacing our fingers together, I pull her hand to my lips.

"Thank you for inviting me. Anna will be talking about today for ages I think. She'll drive April mad." A delicious smirk forms on both of our faces at that thought. Reaching over, I tug her onto my lap and lift a smoldering kiss from her lips.

"She will indeed." I capture her lower lip between my teeth, scraping it with my teeth as I lay her down. Laying on top of her, I attack her mouth, nuzzle her neck and trail kisses down to the valley of her breasts. Deciding that I'd rather not have Anna catch us in the act, I pull away, stand up and offer her my hand. Taking one hand in each of mine, I walk backwards towards the staircase, taking one at a time till we reach my room. When we step inside, I yank her gently across the threshold before wrapping my arms around her, slamming my lips to hers in a torrid kiss. When I step back breathlessly, I pull her into the room far enough so I can close the door, isolating us from the outside world.

* * *

 _To answer the anonymous reviewer and I do thank you for taking the time to do so. But Mason has no connection whatsoever to 'Happy Dale' or the Lockwood's in this story. This story is written and I'd have to go through the chapters but I don't believe that Mason is ever mentioned again._

 _Thank you so much, Eva. Love you lots._

 _Thanks all of you so much, those of you who still follow along. I appreciate you all so much._

 _Chapter title: 'Show and Tell' by Al Wilson_

 _I did just update 'Angels Fall' and 'Rainy Days and Mondays'. Please have a look._

 _Don't forget to review. We have a good amount of chapters and mystery left to ensue._

 _As always, have a safe and wonderful weekend. We'll see you next week for updates on all 3 of my stories. Thank you all again._


	15. Dangerous

Meanwhile on the eastern seaboard, specifically Virginia:

"You have our sympathy, Jeremy," Sheriff Lockwood says, shaking my hand. Your parents were pillars of the community. It's such a shame what happened."

"Thank you and yes it was tragic," I concur, taking my wife, Lexie's hand.

"Jeremy, I'm really sorry," Bill Forbes says, reaching to shake my hand as well. It's a never ending line of well wishers. There is only one person that I wish was here with me. If it's the last thing I do, I'm going to find her. My parent's lawyer, Tobias Fell approaches me next.

"Do you have any idea of where to look for Elena?"

"I haven't a clue but we need to find her." My voice is firm in its conviction.

"Yes, she should be here for the reading of the will."

"Perhaps you should hire a private detective?" Lexie suggests, squeezing my hand.

"Tomorrow I want to go through some of the things in their attic? Who knows, maybe we'll find some clue?"

After kissing my wife's cheek, I turn back to receive more condolences from the townspeople. By the time the last person gives me their regards, I'm dying of thirst. Lacing my fingers with Lexie's the two of us walk to the refreshment table to get something to drink and mingle with some of my old friends. Hoping tomorrow will give me some answers, I just need to muddle through the rest of this day.

* * *

Damon in Florida with his father:

"Is this the last of it?" I ask, lifting another box into the back of the U Haul.

"No, there are a few more boxes in the house." I look up, noticing his hands are full with one big box.

"I'm going to miss coming home to this place but I'm really glad that you're moving in with me."

"I know, Damon. I am too."

Nodding, I walk along with him back into the garage to pick up another box to load.

"Well, I'm your dad. With Stefan and Caroline's baby coming, there's nowhere else I'd rather be."

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and turn away for a moment. When I open them, he's looking at me, his eyes full of understanding.

"Damon, I'm sorry I wasn't there when everything fell apart. I didn't realize how bad it was till you ended up nearly dying of alcohol poisoning. Can you ever forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, dad."

"Yes, son there is. You're my oldest child, I should've realized that something was grievously wrong."

"How could you? I never said anything. I wore the mask until I just couldn't wear it any longer."

When I drop my eyes, he puts his hand on my shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

"There will be no more masks okay?" With his head tilted slightly, he gives me an admonishing look.

"No more, dad. Enough of the mushy stuff, we still have some work to do."

Having finished taking another box to the van, I walk back into the garage to get another one. Once we finish, we walk through the house one last time, leaving the key lay on the kitchen counter for the realtor. Knowing it's the last time I'll step inside my childhood home, I take several pictures before he locks it for the final time. We also take a walk around the house, spending a few moments in the backyard. After dad says goodbye to his neighbors, we get in the truck to drive to the cemetery to pay our respects to my mother. Although I wanted Elena to join us, Stefan needed her to be at the shop. Not wanting to give Stefan anymore ammunition to use against her, she decided that she needed to stay in Texas. I'm aroused from my thoughts when I feel the car stop. When I see that it's a grocery store, I give him a curious look.

"I want to run in and get some flowers for her grave."

As soon as he shifts the truck into park, he gives me a look before jumping out. Even though he's already out of the truck, I nod my agreement, waiting here for him. A short time later, I watch him exit the store, a bouquet in hand. Once we arrive at the cemetery, dad parks the truck and we step out. Feeling the familiar lump in my throat, I take a deep breath and catch up to my dad, walking alongside him to her grave. I miss my mother so much sometimes. I still think about her often.

"Hey sweetheart. I'm here with Damon today. I'm moving to Texas to be with him and Stefan. I'll be back to see you but I don't know when that will be," he explains as if she's standing in front of him. Running his fingertips over her likeness that's carved into the granite monument, he closes his eyes. Knowing that he's caught up in a moment with her, I wait a few moments before stooping down beside him.

"Hi mom. I'm so sorry to take dad away from you but I really need him right now. I hope you understand. I promise you that I will be back. I miss you everyday. Take care of...," I whisper, feeling my eyes start to well up. Willing them not to fall, I drop my eyes to try to maintain my composure. Feeling dad's hand on my shoulder, I turn to look at him, forcing a sad smile on my face.

"Mom understands, Damon. I'd like to spend a moment alone with her. I'll meet you back at the truck in a few minutes."

Knowing that he wants to say goodbye privately, I nod my head, stand up and walk back down the path towards the vehicle.

* * *

Dad and I take our time driving back to Texas. Even though I'm anxious to see Elena, I want to get back safely so that I can indeed see her again. I've called Stefan a couple of times to make sure he's treating her right. It was me who was surprised when he praised her work ethic. We finally pulled into my driveway early this afternoon. Dad and I unloaded what we could but we decided to get Stefan and Ric's help to unload the heavier boxes. Our backs are still hurting from loading the truck back in Florida. We decided to give it rest for the day since we've worked hard for the last couple of weeks getting his things packed. Plus we had the auction to rid of things he didn't want to bring with.

Dad changed his mind, deciding not to sell the house just yet. His realtor is going to rent it out for the time being. He will collect the rent checks and take care of things as needed for my dad. Plus he can keep an eye on the property since he's here and we're in Texas. Dad and mom built that house shortly after they got married. I just think her spirit still lingers in the house and he couldn't find it in himself to say goodbye to it forever. After telling him that I'm going to go to see Elena, I walk over to her house.

"Hi," I blurt out when she opens her front door. Unable to help myself, I clasp her face with my hands, kissing her urgently.

"Wow!" she gasps when I let her go.

"I missed you," I breathe, pressing another blistering kiss to her lips. Needing to breathe, I pull back. It's only then that I notice her front door is hanging open. Smiling, I turn away from her to push it closed. Then my lovely Elena surprises me, taking my hand as she leads us into her bedroom. Once inside, she pushes the door closed. Turning to stare at me sensuously, she steps in front of me. With a little smirk on her face, she starts unbuttoning my shirt, pushing it off of my shoulders after she releases the last button. As her hands caress my bare chest, I run my hands under her tee shirt, nudging her forward till she's flush against my chest. With a little swagger of my own, I lift her over my shoulder and drop her onto the bed.

Since she's barefoot, I press a kiss to the inside of one ankle and then the next before crawling up her body to rest between her spread legs. When I hear a breathy moan escape her lips when I press my groin against her core, I reach between us to unclasp her jeans. Using my fingers, I trail them up her belly till I reach her bra, singing her praises for wearing one that hooks in the front. After freeing her breasts, I sit back on my knees. Raising her arms to help me, I smile as I tug her tee over her head and arms before flicking it behind me, not caring a whip for where it lands.

"Mmm, beautiful," I whisper, lowering my mouth to capture one of her nipples between my teeth. Teasing it with my tongue and nipping gently with my teeth, I let go of it and move to pay homage to her neglected breast. The delicious noises that spill from her lips go straight to my dick. Feeling it get impossibly harder and knowing I can't wait much longer, I pull back long enough to take first her jeans and panties off. After pausing for a moment to admire the sheer splendor of her body, I drop my own, kicking them off of my feet quickly. With a tease of my eye thing, I settle between her legs, using my tongue to taste her heated flesh. Laying my hands on her belly to still her, I continue to lap at and coerce her beautiful body to let go. When she lowers her eyes to peer into mine, I plunge two fingers inside of her, my eyes never leaving hers. As my tongue and fingers work continue to coax her core, I gently bite her clit before using my tongue to soothe it. Immediately her body seizes and shakes, one hand buried in my hair forcing me to keep my mouth where it is.

As her body relaxes, I press a kiss to her center before slithering upwards. Wanting her to taste the pleasure that she gives me, I slam my lips to hers, letting her taste herself.

"You take me places I've never been before...," Lowering my mouth to her neck, I trail kisses down to her heaving breasts. Needing a breath, I raise up on my elbows, one on each side of her face. When our eyes lock, I join us together with a thrust of my hips. Cradling my face with her hands, she pulls me forcefully to her lips, pushing her tongue inside to tangle with mine. When she raises one of her legs around my hip, I surge impossibly deeper, my pelvis rocking against her clit with each bend of my hips. Her eyes widen when I give her wink and flip us over, letting her take charge. Lust shines in her eyes, taking my breath away.

My eyes are glued to her breasts, slapping against her body with each rise and fall of her body, taking all of me inside. Feeling the familiar heated tingling in my lower belly, I start to raise my hips in tandem with her movements. Suddenly she stiffens, throwing her head back as her body shakes as her inside undulate along my length forcing my own release. I come with a growl of her name on my lips. Wrapping her in my arms, I hold her tightly to my chest till my body wafts back to earth. I want to stay like this forever but I know I can't. Even though I don't let go, I roll over so we're laying her front to mine.

"That was magnificent," she whispers, her eyes barely open as she makes circles on my chest with her finger tips. When she quiets and I feel her chest rise and fall evening, I know she's asleep. Smiling, I drop a kiss to her head before closing my eyes, hoping that having her in my arms will keep the bad stuff away.

* * *

Jeremy:

"Jeremy, come here. Look at this," Lexie says excitedly, staring at a piece of paper that she's holding.

"What is it?"

"It's commitment papers. It seems your parents had your sister deemed incompetent. Why would they do that?" She looks just as perplexed as I feel.

"Elena was a good kid, Lexie, really. I don't even know how she got pregnant, I wasn't even aware that she had a boyfriend. She studied hard, got good grades in school, she never caused anyone any problems. However, our parents would not allow themselves to be stigmatized by scandal. A founding family member's teenaged daughter having an illegitimate kid was not something that they were prepared to deal with so they shipped her away. You know, out of sight, out of mind. I never knew that they went this far though." I'm stunned to learn that my parents could be so duplicitous.

"Maybe we should talk to Mr. Fell about this. He was their lawyer. Maybe he knows where she is?"

"I agree. It's too late to call him today so let's keep looking through this stuff to see if anything else pops up."

She and I continue to go through boxes of documents. Also I find a jewelry box full of my mother's bling. Our parents were more concerned with material things than their own children. I think they had us because they wanted the Gilbert name to live on. I practically raised Elena by myself, making sure she got to school on time and that she had food in her belly.

I won't say I didn't love my parents, they were my parents after all but I will admit that they weren't very likable. I just wish I had known about this scheming against Elena. I never would've let them dispatch her like that had I known. I mean, I knew she was pregnant. Obviously that can only be hidden for so long. As soon as her little bump was visible, she was just gone. I didn't even know she was dating anyone. She was only fifteen at the time.

"What are you thinking about?" Smiling tightly at me, she gives my hand a squeeze.

"My sister, more than anything else, I just want to find her," I admit, shaking my head.

"Let's go get something to eat and then we can look through some more of these boxes. You never know?"

Nodding, I stand up, taking her hand, walking downstairs together. Once we finish eating, we take the time to change into more comfortable clothing before heading back into the attic. We've looked through several boxes without success. Almost ready to admit defeat, I decide to go through one more before calling it a night. It's when I open the last box that I find a file marked Elena. Opening it up, I begin to sift through the papers. It's when I find the last one that my eyes practically bulge out of their sockets.

"Lexie, come here quickly," I gasp, shocked by what's right in front of me.

"Oh my God, Jeremy. Do you know what this means?"

"I never would have believed they would go to these lengths to keep Elena's baby a secret. I'm stunned by the weight of all of this. We have to find her."

"We will, Jeremy. We will," my wife assures me, pressing a kiss to my cheek.

* * *

"Did you know about this Mr. Fell?" His eyes widen when I shake the document in front of his face.

"Calm down Jeremy. Yes, I knew about it."

"How were you able to get her declared incompetent? She wasn't mentally ill. You and I both know that."

"You're right. She wasn't. But your parents were powerful people with connections in high places. It didn't take much to get the judge to agree to their wishes," he explains, running a hand over his bald head.

"Why would they do that to her? She was their child for Christ's sakes. She was/is a good person, Tobias."

"I don't know why, Jeremy. I did my best to reason with them. If I had it to do over again, I would've demanded that they get a different attorney to do their dirty work. But that's water under the bridge now. How can I help you?" he asks, seemingly sincere.

"I want to find her. I need to find her. Do you have any idea where to look?"

"She was sent to a mental health facility in Texas with the stipulation that she would be released when she turned twenty one. If I'm not mistaken, her birthday wasn't that long ago. Am I right?"

"Yeah. Her birthday was a couple of months ago. Do you have any idea of where to look for her now?"

"You can try going to the facility. Also I would suggest hiring a private detective. If she has a job, anyone worth his salt should be able get a ping on her social security number."

"That's where I'll start. Can you recommend anyone?"

"Will Parker is someone I've worked with before. He's based out of Richmond. Would you like me to give him a call?"

"Please do." Lacing my fingers with Lexi's, I turn to face her and give her hand a squeeze. Once he talks to Mr. Parker, we leave Mr. Fell's office to drive to Richmond, hoping that maybe something in this whole sordid affair will be easy.

* * *

Damon:

"Elijah, Mikael." Standing aside, I use my arm to gesture for them to come into my house. Dad is in the kitchen with Ric, who arrived a little while ago.

"Mikael," Ric greets him, standing up to shake his hand.

"Would either of you like some coffee or something else to drink?" I look first to Mikael and then to Elijah.

"Sure," they both nod. After pouring them each a cup, I pull the creamer out of the refrigerator, setting it along with some spoons and sugar on the table before sitting down myself.

"Um, so were you able to glean anything from Miss Starr?"

"I did indeed, Damon." Before beginning, he lifts the cup to him mouth, taking a deep swallow.

"It seems there have been rumblings about Happy Dale for many years already. I believe I told you that. The authorities have mostly just brushed it off as coincidence or urban legend. Some very powerful people run that organization. There have also been rumors of selling babies on the black market. Too many pregnant girls have gone in there and come out empty handed for it to be mere coincidence. It seems the modus operandi is to tell the girls that their baby was still born. They were all given Midazolam and Propofol as an anesthetics so they wouldn't remember anything about the birth," Mikael explains, looking around the table to see us all with our mouths hanging open.

"This is all pretty damning and specific. How does she know all of this, Mikael?"

"She told me that she has a very reputable source inside the organization. She also told me that her source hasn't been discovered and this person still feeds her information. Although she's not ready to go public with what she knows yet, she's still trying to put the story together. After she did a few investigative reports on the place before leaving Dallas, she was threatened. That's why she left Texas to move to Oklahoma City."

He looks around the table at all of us before putting his mug to his mouth again, taking another swallow of his coffee.

"Her new husband is an attorney who works in the DA's office. He's also trying to do a little digging under the radar. They are proceeding with utmost caution and who can blame them?" he asks, picking up his cup to take another swallow.

"Could that have happened to Elena's baby too?"

"A friend of yours?"

"My girlfriend. She was just released from the place. She told me that her parents had her committed when she was fifteen because she got pregnant. Apparently they didn't want the stigma of a pregnant daughter. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess."

Pausing a moment, I refill everyone's coffee, taking a big swallow of my own. Once I swallow, I go on to tell them what Elena has confided in me.

"Anyway, she told me the same thing, that her baby was stillborn," I add, my palms clammy, realizing the repercussions of this. When I raise my eyes, everyone is looking at me.

"If what Miss Starr told you is all true, how do we put some sunlight on the place? You know the old adage about sunlight being the best disinfectant?" Looking around the table, I look at everyone before focusing my attention on Mikael once more.

He stares back at me for a few seconds before dropping his eyes to his hands that are clutched around his coffee cup. Dad gets up to refill everyone's cup. After Mikael takes another deep slog, he turns to me, pointedly asking, "That Damon is the million dollar question."

* * *

 _The plot thickens..._

 _Thank you so much Eva. I love and appreciate you so much._

 _Thanks so much to all of you who took those few seconds to review._

 _Chapter title: 'Dangerous' by Within Temptation_

 _I did post the first chapter of ' **Dig** '. I'm anxious for you to get acquainted with 'Indiana Salvatore' and 'Best-selling adventure writer, Elena Gilbert'. _

_I posted the final chapter of ' **Rainy Days and Mondays** ' yesterday. It would be nice if those of you who never review would take the time to do so just once..._

 _' **Angels Fall** ' updated on Wednesday. Please have a look at it as well. _

_Do remember to click that * **REVIEW** * button. They are what keeps me writing #DE stories._

 _Hope you all have a safe and fabulous weekend. Until next week._


	16. The Whole World is Watching

"So how was your trip?" Stefan asks when I walk into my building, following Elena. Now that I have my driver's license back, I can take us to work.

"It was nice to spend the time with dad. You should've been there to help us, Stefan. You said you were going to come down for at least a weekend."

Although I'm trying to keep my anger with him in check, the agitation I'm feeling is clear by the tone of voice I use with him.

"Look Damon, I know I promised to help out but I didn't want to leave Caroline."

"She's not due for a few months yet. You could've come for a weekend anyway. Hell you could've even brought her along. You know I wouldn't have made her do any lifting or anything like that. She could've frolicked at the beach while we were packing."

"Don't Damon. I don't have to defend myself to you."

Staring at him for a long moment, I just shake my head, pick up the mail and walk into my office. I roll my eyes when he follows right after me.

"Dad had a change of heart about selling the house. The realty company he hired is going to rent it out for him."

"Why not?" he scoffs.

"Stefan, don't you dare display this attitude with dad. I think he kept it so he'd still have that connection to mom. They did build it you know."

"Yes, I know that but she's gone and she's not coming back."

"Stefan, how can you be so callous about our mom? She died from renal failure, it's not like she ran off and left us," I scold, incredulous at his attitude.

"Fine!?"

Tightening his lips in a grimace, he drops his head for a moment before turning around and walking out of my office.

* * *

"Damon?"

Looking up, I see Caroline standing there but my eyes zero in on her bulging belly. She's such a petite person, it didn't take long for her bump to appear. Swallowing thickly, I raise my eyes to hers.

"Caroline? Um what can I do for you?"

Walking around to my side of the desk, she leans her backside against it before giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Stefan said you got a little agitated with him about your dad's house?"

"Yeah, I guess I did. But in my defense, if dad wants to hang onto the house a little while longer, he should support him, not second guess his decision."

"I know that. He probably thinks that since he's keeping the house that maybe he'll move back there?"

"He might. I don't know. But he did move everything he wanted into my house. I don't see that happening, at least not in the forseeable future. He seems to enjoy it here too. I just think he didn't want to give up that connection to mom."

"Are you okay, Damon?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You know with all of this?" she asks, gesturing to her belly.

"Caroline, don't worry about me. You'll be a great mom," I add, getting up to give her a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks. I'm sure Elena was glad to have you back?" she teases, raising an eyebrow. I drop my eyes and shake my head a moment before raising them to hers again.

"That my dear sister in law, is none of your business. Now shoo, I have work to do."

"Fine."

After rolling her eyes at me, she gets up to leave but not before giving me another hug. Stopping at the doorway, she turns around to give me a heartfelt smile before walking out and closing the door.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, I walk into Happy Dale. I haven't seen Anna in weeks it seems. Between helping Elena and my dad, I just haven't found the time. I feel terrible about that. For whatever reason, I make a stop in the office to see if maybe April knows if Anna is free right now. She may be in class or something.

"Damon? What are you doing here?" Carol asks, looking up when she hears the door close.

"I wanted to stop by to see Anna. You wouldn't happen to know if she's free right now?"

After glancing down at her watch, she turns back to me.

"She should be in a math class at this time. However, it'll be out soon and then you can see her. You really like that little girl, don't you, Damon?"

"I do indeed, Carol."

With my attention on Carol, I startle when I feel someone bump into me from behind. Turning around I see that it was April who is now stooped down picking up papers. Without hesitating, I drop down to help her.

"Thank you, Damon. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," she says, staring at me for a moment before walking over to her desk.

"No worries. I just stopped by to see Anna. Can you tell me which classroom she's in so I can wait there?"

"Come, I'll take you there," Carol offers, leading me out of her office. I follow behind, looking around as she takes me to Anna. Out of my peripheral vision, I see Nik, his cell phone next to his face, seemingly in a heated argument with someone judging by his body language and facial expressions. I turn to look at him for a moment, walking right into Carol, who stopped too, apparently distracted herself by the heated argument Nik is having with whoever he's talking to.

"I'm sorry Carol. I wasn't paying attention."

"No worries. Oh, look over there."

She points outside to where I see Anna stooped down, smelling flowers.

"Thanks Carol. I'm going to go to see her for a little while. Um, I don't when but can I take her out again sometime?"

"Absolutely. I'm really glad that someone is so smitten with her. Not many are interested in people with her disability."

"I care about her, a lot. Thank you, Carol."

She gives me an approving nod then walks towards Nik. Without wasting another moment, I stroll outside to where Anna is. Just before I reach her, I turn around, looking inside the building only to see Carol appearing to browbeat Nik. Something is up with that I think to myself. When I hear her trying to pronounce my name, I look at my little friend, smiling widely when she runs into my arms. I pick her up and carry her over to the bench so we can sit down.

"Dam," she blurts out, wrapping her little arms around my neck, hugging me tight.

"Hi Anna."

"Where you were?" she asks, her little hands pressing my lips together.

"I'm sorry I haven't been to see you lately. I had to help my daddy. He came to live with me."

"You daddy?"

"Yes. You remember my daddy, he went to the zoo with us?"

"Papa?" she asks, looking at me curiously.

"Yes sweetie, papa," I tell her, smiling.

"Would you like to come with me for awhile?"

"Me come," she says, clapping excitedly.

With a chuckle, I stand up and lift her in my arms, carrying her inside so I can sign her out for the afternoon. I'm going to take her back to the office with me so she can see Elena too. I haven't told Elena yet about Mikael's suspicions about Happy Dale. If what Miss Starr says is true, Elena's baby could be alive out there somewhere. I don't want to get Elena's hopes up only to crush her should this all be a wild goose chase. I can tell her that I have witnessed Carol and April acting suspiciously for lack of a better word. But I have no proof that any of what I've seen is nefarious in nature.

Somehow I need to get into the guts of the operation. Then it dawns on me and not to toot my own horn, but I am a computer whiz. Perhaps I can somehow get into their files? But then again, they probably have their tracks covered quite handily if they've been at this for years as Mikael alluded to. Just thinking about the possibility of Elena's child being alive and me being the one to give him back to her puts a smile on my face. Smiling at Anna, I carry her into the office.

"Hello Anna," Carol greets her, just happening to step out of her office. I don't miss how April rolls her eyes when she looks at this beautiful little child. Her mere presence turns my stomach.

"I was hoping I could take her out for a few hours?"

"Sure Damon, let me get a release for you to sign. Where are you taking her?"

"Just over to my office so she can say hello to Elena," I explain, bouncing Anna in my arms.

"Let me take her so you can fill this out," Carol says, her arms outstretched to take Anna. Unlike April, at least Carol has a heart where Anna is concerned. Once I finish with the paperwork, I take her back in my arms to carry her to the car. I bought a child's seat for my car knowing that I wanted to be able to spend more time with her. Once I secure her, I jump into the driver's seat, igniting the engine and pulling out into traffic.

Traffic is a little slow today. It takes about a half an hour because a car accident was holding up traffic. By the time I pull into the parking lot, I glance in the rearview mirror, smirking when I see that she's sound asleep. Getting out of the car, I close my door quietly before going around to the back seat to let her out. She doesn't even wake up when I free her from the seat belt. Lifting her up, her little face drops onto my shoulder, her mouth slightly agape as she sleeps peacefully. For whatever reason, I feel so serene when I'm with Anna.

"Who do you have there?" Stefan asks when I step inside my building. Walking over to me, he looks at her curiously before smiling.

"She's so cute, Damon."

Reaching up, he carefully fingers a few hairs out of her eyes.

"This is Anna," I whisper, hoping not to wake her.

"This is the little girl dad mentioned right?"

"Yes, this is her."

I'm completely spellbound by the little tyke in my arms.

"Damon," Caroline gushes walking over to me. Practically melting, she pets Anna's back softly.

"Can I hold her?"

Since she's a tiny little girl, I let Caroline take her from my arms. She takes her into my office, dropping into one of the chairs. Smiling, I shake my head. Caroline is going to be a wonderful mother, so unlike... Smiling, I pull my office door closed before turning around to look for Elena. When I see her hard at work, I stand in the doorway, cross my arms and just stare at this girl that has completely captivated me. By happenstance, she raises her eyes, sighing exaggeratedly when she sees me.

"Hi."

"Well, hello there."

Smiling, I step into her office and drop a quick kiss to the crown of her head.

"Where were you?"

"I went over to Happy Dale to see Anna. She's actually asleep in Caroline's arms in my office."

"Oh, that's so sweet," she gushes. Stepping aside so she can cross the threshold, I follow her to my office. Carefully she turns the doorknob, tiptoeing inside to see that Anna is still sound asleep in Care's arms. Elena smiles, reaching into her pocket for her cellphone, snapping a couple of photos of the two of them. Caroline is positively beaming holding my little girl in her arms.

"As much as I hate to let her go, Stefan and I have a Dr. appointment." Smiling at her, I gently take Anna from her arms which causes her to wake up, rubbing her eyes with her little fists. When she finally opens them. As soon as she sees Elena, she reaches for her.

"Ewena," she gasps, giving her a sloppy kiss and a hug.

"Hi baby girl. I've missed you so much."

"What do you say the three of go to get some lunch?" I suggest, noticing that it's about that time.

"Are you hungry, Anna?"

'Uh huh."

"I am hungry too." Elena concurs, handing Anna back to me so she can go to grab her bag. As soon as she comes back, the three of us walk outside. I take a moment to lock the doors and then we take off down the sidewalk, walking towards the little grill that's down the street.

* * *

Later in the afternoon, I reluctantly take Anna back. Inhaling a deep breath, I walk inside, the little girl in my arms. Surprised to see that Carol is still here, I let her take Anna from my arms.

"Go with," she cries, reaching for me to take her back.

"Honey, I can't today. I'll come again very soon and I'll bring my daddy with me, okay?"

"Dam," she squeals, tears pouring from her eyes as she kicks and flails in Carol's arms.

"Just go, Damon. She'll calm down once you're gone."

Nodding sadly, I lean over to give Anna a kiss on the forehead. After telling her again that I'd see her soon, I turn my back on her and walk away, her tears breaking my heart.

* * *

Feeling like shit for having to leave her behind, I drive to a bar that's not far from my home. Taking a seat at the bar, I just order a coke and turn my attention to the baseball game on the TV for awhile. Having had my fill of soda, I get up to leave. Once outside, I hear a heated voice. Following the sound, I'm surprised to see that it's Nik standing in the alley talking to someone on his phone. Standing back so he doesn't notice me, I gasp when I hear him say the name, 'Miss Starr'. It dawns on me that maybe he is her Happy Dale inside source. Suddenly he turns around, his eyes lock with mine. I was unable to jump back quick enough to avoid detection.

"Damon?"

Looking a little panicked, his eyes dart from me to his phone and back to me.

"Hi Nik."

"Had a fight with my girlfriend," he says, the anxious tone of his voice exposes the lie though.

"Can I trust you, Nik?"

"Um, why?"

"I heard you mention Miss Starr. Is that the reporter lady?"

"What do you know about her?" he demands, rounding on me.

"Calm down. I'm not your enemy. I've heard rumors about Happy Dale. I'd like to help you expose the place if they're true."

Turning his back to me for a minute, I don't miss how he's fisting his hands at his sides. Finally he turns around to face me again.

"They're very dangerous people, Damon. You have to know what you're getting yourself into," he cautions.

"I know that, Nik. Girls have died. I want to help."

"Are you absolutely sure, Damon?"

"I have a private detective and some others working with me. Yes, I want to help."

"Really?"

"Yes, it's Mikael Mikaelson. His son Elijah works with my best friend. They're helping too."

"Uncle Mikael?"

"Yes."

I can't help but notice the stunned look on his face.

"I'd like to speak with him. Can you arrange a meeting for us?"

"Yes. What if we meet at 'Six Flags over Texas'? We'd blend in there, no one would notice a bunch of guys having a few beers."

"That's a good idea. Here's my phone number. This is a prepaid cell that I only use to talk to Andie," he explains, telling me the number so I can reach him. Once we finish, he walks out of the alley and back into the bar. I take a deep breath then walk to my car. Once inside, I fire up the engine and pull out onto the road. Once I pull into traffic, a dark blue sedan pulls out shortly afterwards. After I've driven a few blocks, I notice that the car is still on my tail.

Deciding not to go home immediately, I drive around to see if the car continues its pursuit. I take a couple of sharp corners and the car stays with me. I'm wondering why anyone would want to follow me. I keep driving around, finally losing whomever at a train crossing as I got through just as the cross ties were lowering. Breathing a sigh of relief, I finally drive home.

The next morning when I get up, I explain to my dad what happened with Nik. I leave out the part about being followed since I don't want to worry him unnecessarily.

Elena be here soon to drive to work with me. I've been wanting to introduce her to my dad for some time already. I hate keeping things from her but how can I really tell her about our suspicions when we have nothing concrete to go on at this point? Placing his hand on my forearm, dad gives it a gentle squeeze because he knows that I hate lying. If nothing else, it's a lie by omission.

"I agree with you, Damon. We should keep this to ourselves till we know more."

Sighing, I nod my agreement. Just as I put the coffee cup to my mouth, I hear the doorbell.

"Drink your coffee. I'll answer it."

"It's probably Elena." I mention. Nodding, he walks off. When I hear Elena's voice I start to get up but she's already in the kitchen.

"Did dad introduce himself?"

"Yes, Damon he did. It's great to finally meet you, Mr. Salvatore."

"Please call me Owen and I'm thrilled to meet you too. Would you like to join us for a cup of coffee?"

"Yes, please." Dad grabs another mug from the cupboard, filling one for her and one for himself. He hands one to Elena then sits down on the other side of me. I sit back, just listening as dad and Elena get acquainted, smiling on the inside as dad seems as smitten with her as I am.

* * *

Over the course of the next few days, I make sure to pay extra attention to my movements to see if I attract anymore followers. Fortunately I don't but I'm still concerned as to why I was followed that night. Not wanting to raise suspicions, I haven't talked to Nik yet although I did talk to Elijah about Nik's involvement. He is worried about Nik but is also proud of him for trying to do the right thing. Mikael is out of town on another case so Elijah is waiting for his return to talk to him about everything that I shared with him.

After having a cup of coffee and telling my dad goodbye, I go to work myself this morning because Elena called in to see if she could have the day off due to a migraine. She assured me that she gets them every few months and that she needs to rest and take her Imitrex. Once I take the time to tell my staff good morning and catch up with Stefan, I shoot off a text to her to tell her that I'll stop over after work. I dive into my work, catching up on some things I have let pile up over the last few weeks. Plus I need to do payroll. I'm buried in the books, looking over office expenditures, not bothering to look up when I hear a knock on my door. Since it's probably Stefan, I just utter come in.

"Mr. Salvatore?" Not recognizing the voice, I look up to see a man and a woman. Standing up, I acknowledge that I am indeed Mr. Salvatore before telling them to have a seat.

"How can I help you?" I ask, not knowing what they want.

"I understand that you have an Elena Gilbert that works here?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"My name is Jeremy Gilbert and this is my wife, Lexie. Elena is my sister. I've been looking for her for quite some time. When our parents died, I found some paperwork related to the sanitarium that she was at. A private detective was able to trace her social security number to your firm."

Unable to contain the shock, my mouth drops open.

"Yes, Elena does work here but she's out sick today."

I notice how he squeezes his wife's hand, their eyes meeting for a moment before looking at me again.

"Can you give us her address?"

"Look, I told Elena that I would stop by to check on her after work. I really think I should give her a head's up that you're here. If you could give me your cellphone number, I'll give it to her so you can call her. But please give me tonight to talk to her. Hopefully she'll feel well enough to be here tomorrow. Perhaps you could stop back then?"

"That's probably a good idea, Jeremy. I mean, you haven't seen her in several years. She'll probably be nervous about meeting us. One more night isn't going to make any difference," Lexie tells him, her eyes turning to me as she finishes.

"Thank you. Elena and I are involved. I know all about her past. I really hope she'll be excited to see you too," I add, my voice sincere.

Standing up, I walk them to the entrance of my store. Shaking his hand, I wish them good luck and tell them goodbye. I'm unable to look away, watching them as walk down the sidewalk. It's only when their car disappears that I turn away, wondering how I'm going to tell Elena about this turn of events.

* * *

 _Thank you for everything Eva._

 _Thanks to those of you who took the time to write a review. I appreciate them so much._

 _Chapter title: 'The Whole World is Watching' by Within Temptation_

 _I updated 'Angels Fall' on Wednesday and 'Dig' yesterday. Please give them a look._

 _Please remember to click that review button._

 _I hope you're all having a fabulous day. Stay safe and we'll see you next time._


	17. Chasing Cars

When I got off work yesterday, I went straight to Elena's house to tell her that her brother is here to see her. To say that she was shocked is an understatement. Once she could breathe again, I gave her my phone so she could call him and arrange to meet them at my house. Dad is cooking us a meal to break the ice a little bit. I know Jeremy has something important to tell her. It's probably to inform her that their parents are dead.

Elena pales when the doorbell rings. Lacing my hand with hers, I bring it to my mouth to press a slow, loving kiss to it.

"It's going to be okay," I reassure her. As soon as our eyes meet, I stoop over to kiss the crown of her head before walking off to answer the door. Opening it, I step aside and gesture for them to come in.

"Hello Jeremy, Lexie. Welcome to my home."

"Thank you for having us, Damon," Lexie replies, although her eyes are looking elsewhere. After leading them into the living room, I tell them to take a seat while I go to get Elena. Taking her hand in mine, I escort her into the room, joining her and her brother for the first time in many years.

I hear her breath hitch just before she pulls away from me to run into her brother's waiting arms. In seconds, I can hear her tearing up as she strokes his face and runs her hands up his strong arms.

"Are you real?" she stutters, her hand covering her mouth.

"Yes, Elena. I'm real," he assures her, his voice sounding overcome too. Turning to his wife, he introduces Lexie to his sister. The two women hug as if they've known each other for years.

"Where are you staying?" Elena asks, taking a seat beside Lexie on the couch.

"Um, I'm going to help my dad with supper so you all can get reacquainted," I interrupt, smiling at Elena just before I leave the living room. Dad is cutting up some vegetables so I offer to do that so he can get the chicken pieces ready.

"Is she okay?"

Dad's turns his back to me when he starts to fry the meat.

"She broke down immediately, dad, but that's understandable. She told me she hadn't seen him since her parents sent her here."

Turning around to look at me, Dad crosses his arms over his chest.

"I can't even imagine exiling your child like that. I mean if a fifteen year old daughter of mine got pregnant, I'd be disappointed and concerned certainly but I would never send my child away."

Smiling sadly, I raise my eyes to his.

"I know you wouldn't have."

"Would you mind setting the table?"

"No, of course not, dad."

Reaching into the cupboard, I pick up enough plates and cups. Once I have them spread around the table, I pull open the silverware drawer to take out what I need. Placing them beside each plate, I then put glasses near each plate. Dad sets the lettuce salad, a variety of dressings and some buns on the table. I reach into the refrigerator for a stick of butter and the fruit salad.

"You can tell them to come to eat now."

As soon as he turns the rice cooker off, I give him a nod. While he getting the main dish together, I walk into the living room to announce that it's meal time. They follow me into the dining room, each taking a seat.

Pulling her aside, I wrap her in my arms and drop a kiss to the crown of her hair. With her eyes red and puffy, I can see how emotionally overwhelming and draining too that this has been for her.

"Are you okay?"

"He told me that our parents are dead, Damon."

"I know. He told me that yesterday when they came to my office. I'm sorry, Elena."

"Despite what they did, they were still my parents," she whispers, reaching up to wipe a few stray tears. I nod and pull her into my arms, rubbing my hand along the length of her back for a few seconds till she pulls away. Taking her hand in mine, we walk to the table to join everyone else. Taking a seat beside her, we start to eat. Jeremy asks how long she and I have been together, knowing that she's recently released from Happy Dale.

"Um, we didn't really start anything serious till Elena was released if that's what you're implying Jeremy. I would never take advantage of Elena, I care about her too much for that."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you would. It's just that I know she didn't get out till she turned twenty one. My parents made that a certainty."

"Jeremy, Damon has been nothing but exceptionally kind and supportive of me. He gave me a job and found me a place to live."

With her eyes focusing in on him, she gives my hand a squeeze.

"Please don't think ill of him, Jeremy."

"Please forgive me if I overstepped my bounds, Damon," Jeremy concedes, sounding contrite. Once we finish, I help dad clear off the table so he can serve the dessert he made.

"I hope you all like cake."

"I love cake, Owen."

Standing up, Elena walks over to help him serve the dessert. He puts a piece on each plate while she scoops the ice cream and hands us each one.

"This is delicious Mr. Salvatore," Lexie says, her fingers covering her mouth as she talks.

"Thank you, Lexie."

"Did you make this from scratch?"

"I did indeed, Lexie. I am Italian after all," dad laughs.

"I don't suppose you'd share the recipe... please?"

She breaks into a wide smile when my dad agrees.

"Of course."

After we finish, we go back into the living room as Jeremy says he has more to share with Elena. I stay in the kitchen to help dad clean up and wash the dishes. When we're done, he excuses himself to go upstairs while I join Elena. Just as I walk into the living room, I see Elena staring at a piece of paper, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

"What does this mean, Jeremy?" she asks, shaking the papers in his face.

"It means that your baby didn't die, Elena. He was taken from you and adopted out."

"My baby is alive?"

I watch as the color drains completely from her face. As soon as I see her knees start to wobble, I run over just in time, reaching her before she hits the floor, having fainted. I lay her on the couch before running into the bathroom to get a wet, cool washcloth. Laying it on her forehead, I brush a strand of hair behind her ear, just waiting for her to awaken.

"Jeremy, what proof do you have that her child is alive?"

"We found this."

With his eyes on mine, he hands me a piece of paper. It's an adoption certificate signed by John and Isobel Gilbert.

"Elena was told that her baby was stillborn," I mention, studying the paper.

"Maybe this is the proof we need?" I utter under my breath.

"What are you talking about, Damon? What do you mean by 'proof we need'?"

"I mean, I've heard rumors about the place. I had to do some community service at Happy Dale. That's how Elena and I met. Anyway, one of the kids I worked with died suddenly. That raised my suspicions. Sometimes I have a bit of a sixth sense if you will. My best friend is an attorney. He introduced me to a private detective. I hired him to look into the rumors to see if there was anything there. Mikael is the one who told us about the baby selling rumors surrounding the place. I didn't see any reason to mention it to Elena," I explain, handing him the paper back.

"I didn't want to get her hopes up only for them to crash and burn if Mikael couldn't find anything. I think what you have in your hand is the first concrete proof we have that something shady is going on there. Do you think you could show this to Mr. Mikaelson?"

"You knew?" Elena asks, sitting up. Her stare is deadly.

"I wasn't sure of anything, Elena."

Please try to understand. I didn't want say anything till we had some kind of proof."

"How could you? I trusted you?" she blurts out, getting up, she starts pacing the length of the room, her hands fisting at her sides. Wanting to take her into my arms, I get up, latching onto the crook of her elbow. Staring at me with tear-filled eyes, she shakes her head back and forth, pulling away from me suddenly.

"Elena, please. I didn't want you to get your hopes up..," I add, reaching for her once more. Running her hand through her hair, she turns away for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she turns to me again. When I try to step closer, she raises her hand, stopping me in my tracks.

"Elena?"

She gives me one last look before turning her attention to her brother.

"Jeremy, Lexie, would you mind taking me home?"

Without so much as a backwards glance, she walks to the front door. After putting on her jacket, she spins around, her focus on her brother.

"Um, sure," Jeremy agrees, standing up. After Lexie follows Elena outside, Jeremy walks up to me, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Don't give up on her Damon. She's been through so much. I happen to think you did the right thing. It would've been far worse to mention it and then have her greatest hope torn away from her again. I will tell her that. Just give her some time okay?"

Raising my eyes to him, I sigh heavily and nod. He gives my shoulder a squeeze before he walks away, leaving me feeling empty and alone once more.

* * *

 _"Why are you doing this?"_

 _"I don't love you Damon. I never did." she sneers, twisting the knife in deeper._

 _"Why did you stay with me so long then? Why didn't you just leave after...?"_

 _"Oh come on, Damon. Don't act like someone kicked your puppy," she scoffs, rolling her eyes. Stunned, I gawp like a fish out of water. And then she laughs. Suddenly, she morphs into Elena._

 _"How could you, Damon? You lied to me. I never want to see you again," Elena snaps, walking out the door and slamming it shut behind her._

Lurching upright, a cold sweat on my brow, I sigh heavily realizing it was just a nightmare. Glancing at the clock, I see that it's nearly six thirty in the morning so rather than try to get back to sleep, I get up. Although I badly wanted to drown myself in alcohol last night, somehow I managed to contain the urge. Unable to get the look on Elena's face out of my head, I didn't sleep well at all. After showering and getting dressed, I go downstairs and into the kitchen.

"Good morning Damon," my dad greets me with a cup of coffee in hand.

"Morning. Thanks dad."

"Are you okay? You look a little worse for wear," he remarks, tilting his head just slightly.

"Yeah. I think we should call Mikael though. Elena was always led to believe that her child was stillborn but Jeremy has concrete proof that he was born alive."

"Do tell," dad asks, taking a sip of his coffee.

"He has a document signed by their parents, allowing Elena's child to be adopted. I suppose that could be above board but it's the first piece of evidence that we have of wrong doing at Happy Dale," I explain, exhaling heavily.

"Go call him, I'll brew another pot of coffee."

Nodding my head, I get up to find my cellphone so I can get in touch with Mikael. I can also tell them that I intend to meet Nik at Six Flags. Maybe Mikael or Elijah will join me. I take a moment to give Stefan a call to tell him that I won't be in till this afternoon. Taking a deep breath, I ask if Elena showed up for work this morning. He assures me that she did but he does ask why I want to know. Not wanting to get into it and to placate him, I tell him that I'll talk to him when I get to the office. I also make a point of calling Jeremy to see if he can join us and show Mikael the document.

"Come in Mikael, Elijah. Is Ric coming?"

"Yeah, he'll be here shortly. He was just finishing up with a client when we left," Elijah explains. Just as I'm about to shut the front door, I see Jeremy walking up my sidewalk.

"Good morning, Damon."

"Jeremy, come on in."

"How is she?" I ask, stepping aside so he can come into my house.

"Lexie and I had a long talk with her after we left last night. I can see that you care about Elena very much. And I want to thank you for looking out for her."

"I do care about her, Jeremy. A lot."

He reaches up squeezing my shoulder, an understanding look playing on his face.

"Um, let's go to the kitchen. My friends are already here."

Just as I start to push the door closed, I see Ric pulling up, parking alongside Elijah's car.

"Morning buddy," he greets me, giving me a guy hug.

"Hey Ric. Jeremy this is my best friend, Ric Saltzman. Ric, this is Elena's brother, Jeremy Gilbert."

"Good to meet you, Jeremy," he says, shaking his hand.

"Let's join the others," I suggest, pushing the door closed this time before following them into the kitchen. After introducing Jeremy and everyone has a cup of coffee, Jeremy hands Mikael the document.

"Your sister was told that her baby died at birth?" Mikael asks, his eyes focused on the paper in his hands.

"I haven't seen Elena in six years. But yes, that's what she told me."

Jeremy is staring at Mikael, his hands clutching his coffee mug firmly.

"I really hope you can find out what's going on at that place and what they did to my sister and my nephew."

"This is good, Jeremy. We have something to go on now. Does your sister have an attorney?"

"I don't know, Mikael."

"I doubt it, Mikael. I mean she hasn't had need of one. Why?"

"I think she should get one, Damon. An attorney could take this to a judge. Hopefully he could get a subpoena to look into her file and hopefully find out what became of her child?"

"I'm on it Mikael. That is if Elena would agree to me representing her," Ric offers.

"Do it," Jeremy adds.

"Do you think that maybe you should discuss it with her first?"

"She doesn't know any lawyers, Ric. Damon trusts you so that means I trust you too."

After telling him thank you, Ric takes the document from Jeremy and then takes off to meet his other appointment. I see Jeremy to the door. He and Lexie are staying in town for a couple of weeks so they can spend some time with Elena. He asked Ric to stop by Elena's house later today to speak to her about how best to proceed. Once they're gone, I reveal to Mikael, Elijah and dad about Nik being Miss Starr's insider. I also tell them that I'm meeting Nik at 'Six Flags' on Saturday.

Mikael is going to be out of town on Saturday so Elijah will go with me. When all the details are hashed out, I walk the two of them to the door and tell them goodbye. Picking up the phone, I call Stefan to tell him to send Elena home so she can spend time with her brother. Given the tone of my voice, he wisely chooses not to get into it with me. I am still the boss after all. After saying goodbye to my dad, I grab my things to head over to the office.

* * *

"Where are we supposed to meet Nik?" Elijah asks as we walk through the evening crowd at Six Flags. I shoot off a text to Nik, telling him that I'm here and asking where we should meet him? A couple of minutes pass before he answers, telling us to meet him at 'Uncle Bub's Smokehouse' restaurant. Elijah and I go there immediately. When we walk in, I look around till I see Nik sitting in the back. Gesturing to him with my eyes, Elijah and I join him at his table.

"Elijah, it's good to see you again," Nik offers, reaching out to shake his hand.

"As it is you, Nik," Elijah responds, placing Nik's hand between his, giving it an affectionate squeeze.

"Thanks for meeting us here, Nik," I utter, expelling a puff of air. The waitress interrupts us so we each order something to eat so we look less conspicuous, not that anyone should be watching us here. After she walks off, Elijah asks him about Happy Dale.

"These are dangerous people," Nik begins, looking around nervously.

"Mikael told us that there have been rumors about the place for years," I point out.

"Yes, but behind every rumor is a grain of truth. Kids that I have spent time with have died. You remember, Rose, don't you?" he asks, looking at me.

"I only met her the one time when I was assigned to kitchen duty."

Looking first at Elijah and then at Nik, I take a drink from my soda glass.

"They were pressuring her to sign away her parental rights too. I don't know how she knew, but she did. She threatened to go to the authorities and by the next day she was dead. They claimed it was from an undiagnosed heart condition. It isn't rocket science to know that she died almost immediately. They have a very lucrative black market baby selling business. Their 'buyers' pay tens of thousands of dollars for a child. Usually it's people that are denied adoption through the usual channels," he reveals to us, looking around again. Just as he's about to continue, the waitress returns with our food. Once she walks off, I take a bite then turn my attention back to Nik.

"Do you know who's at the top of totem pole? We have to cut the head off the snake if we're going to stop this."

"The Lockwood's are a crime family from way back. I mean back to the twenties and thirties. Rumor has it that Richard Lockwood, he's Carol's husband, anyway it's been said that his great grandfather was a member of Capone's gang in Chicago. They're a mob family. Selling babies is their business. I don't know if Richard is the snake's head as you call it but he's way up there," Nik finishes, taking a bite of his sandwich. Looking out the window, I see that's it's dark out now.

"Were you around when Elena was pregnant?" I ask, sipping a drink of my soda.

"Yes, why?"

"We now have proof that her baby was born alive and adopted out."

"Really?"

"Yeah. So that's probably the single most important piece of the puzzle that we have so far."

"I'd advise you to keep it safe," Nik remarks, raising an eyebrow.

"Believe me, it's in a very safe place," I reassure him. After we finish eating, he agrees to meet us here next week when Mikael can come along with us. Elijah has a date with his wife, Eva so he and I separate after leaving the restaurant. Since Elena isn't speaking to me, I have no reason to immediately go home. I wander around the midway, playing a couple of games. Although I know better, I did have one bottle of beer. Looking up, I see the sky starting to darken so I start to go to my car. Just as I reach it, I feel the blunt end of something poking my ribs.

"Turn around." When I do, I see the barrel of a gun pointing at my middle. Although I don't recognize the man, I don't move.

"My wallet is in my back pocket, you can have it," I tell him, my arms raised at my sides.

"I could care less about your money," he sneers, nudging me forward with the pistol. When we get to a black SUV, he shoves me into the backseat. As soon as I'm inside, someone else blindfolds me. When I open my mouth, a bottle of what tastes like cheap whiskey is shoved in my mouth. I start to cough and sputter, trying to spit it out. My assailant tangles a hand in my hair, using it to pull my head back before forcing the bottle into my mouth again. Given the vast amounts of alcohol I've ingested, it doesn't take long to get me drunk. Yet these people keep pouring it down my throat. While I'm barely still conscious, I'm dragged from the car and thrown onto the cold hard ground. I feel something metal being put in my left hand but I'm too out of it to even begin to comprehend what they're doing to me. I hear a loud crack ring out just before the edges blur as blackness consumes me.

* * *

 _Things are taking a more sinister turn now._

 _Thank you Eva so much for everything. Love you lots._

 _Thanks all of you who reviewed last chapter. I love to read your thoughts on my stories._

 _Chapter title: 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol_

 _Please give my others stories a look. I did post the conclusion to 'Rainy Days and Mondays: Hunter's Song' yesterday as well as updating 'Dig'. I did update 'Angels Fall' on Thursday. I have never abandoned any of my stories which is why I write them in full or nearly in full before I ever start posting. Unless they're still in progress, they are marked complete._

 _Are readers losing interest in DE because of Nina's absence? Reviews and views are certainly plummeting._

 _Please do remember to review. They're a big reason I keep writing._

 _Stay safe and have a wonderful weekend. See you next time._


	18. Flightless Bird, American Mouth

" _Son, please wake up. I love you, boy._ "

 _I think I hear words but the voice sounds so very far away, almost like it's at the far end of a tunnel. As hard as I try, I can't seem to open my eyes. I'm scared because something is stuck down my throat and I can't move my hands to pull it out. As terrified as I am, I breathe a small sigh of relief when I finally recognize my dad's soothing voice. Although I can't summon the strength to try to reach out to him, there's something about his presence that has a calming effect on me._

* * *

Owen:

"What happened to him, dad? And why are there cops outside?"

"I don't know what happened, Stefan. The police told me he was found next to a dead body with the murder weapon in his hand."

"Oh my God. He wouldn't kill anyone. Something is very wrong here," Stefan says, his eyes drifting to his brother's prone body.

"How is he?"

"He's being treated for alcohol poisoning. The Dr. Told me that he also has aspiration pneumonia. Apparently he was barely breathing when he was found. His doctor told me it was possible that he could have some brain damage related to seizure and hypoxia."

Trying not to lose my composure, I reach up to pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to keep my tears at bay.

"He had a seizure? Dad, I don't understand, he hasn't been drinking has he? I mean, what could have set him off?"

"I wish I knew. No, he's done really well with his sobriety. I wish he would wake up so he could tell us what happened."

"Dad, Does Elena know? Has she come to see him?"

"I'm sure she doesn't know. You're the only one I called. I wanted to talk to the doctor first."

When I hear a rap on the window, I turn my head. Seeing that it's Ric, I motion for him to come in.

"Oh good Lord," Ric remarks, his mouth agape.

"Did the police tell you anything? He's not a killer, Ric. You know this," I offer, my heart breaking to see my son in such dire straits.

"Owen, I think they realize that Damon was too drunk to have shot anyone. Plus the weapon was in his left hand."

"Damon is right-handed."

"Exactly. But someone went to a lot of trouble to try to frame him for murder. If you want my opinion, I think whoever did this expected that Damon would die too," he explains, walking over to place his hand on Damon's forearm.

"The victim was Nik Mikaelson. Does that name ring a bell?"

"Isn't he the guy that he was supposed to meet to talk about Happy Dale? Mikael's nephew?"

"Yes, he was. Both Mikael and Elijah are pretty upset. I did speak to Elijah for a few minutes. He is under no illusion that Damon shot Nik."

"I wish he never would've gotten involved in all of this," I lament, resting my hand on top of my son's.

"Dad, he wanted to help Elena. He really, really cares for her," Stefan remarks, not even realizing what he said.

"I thought you didn't like her?"

"Caroline likes her a lot. She makes Damon happy so I figured I should give her a chance."

"You're a good brother. I know you two butt heads sometimes but I also know that you'll always have each other's back."

"Absolutely dad."

"So Ric, how are things going to go with the police?"

"Once he's conscious, they'll interrogate him. The DA is a friend of mine. He said he'll need to look over the evidence before he decides on whether to indict him or not. As I told you, this isn't as cut and dried as it appears. Still, there's a possibility that he could be charged with murder but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Thanks Ric, keep me updated will you?"

"Of course, Owen. I'm going to go now. Jenna sends her love."

"Bye Ric," Stefan adds, taking a seat beside me.

"Should we call Elena?"

"Maybe we should wait till we know more, Stefan?"

"I guess you're right...," he starts to say when his doctor walks in.

"Hello Mr. Salvatore."

"Dr. Adams, this is my son, Stefan."

"It's good to meet you," he says, extending his hand to shake Stefan's. He walks over to Damon, shines his pen light in Damon's eyes. After looking at a few of his monitors, he turns his attention to me.

"I don't like the fact that he hasn't woken up yet. His blood alcohol was dangerously high though. If he doesn't wake up soon, I'm going to order an EEG to check his brain function.

"Oh dear lord," I utter, my knees weakening.

"Dad?" Stefan gasps, his eyes watering immediately. Closing my eyes, I wrap my youngest son in a hug. A nurse and an aide step in the room asking us to give them a little time so she can assess him and for them to give him a bed bath and mouth care.

Nodding I turn to Stefan. "Let's go to the chapel, Stefan." Exhaling heavily, he nods slightly and follows me out of the room.

* * *

I'm tired, I've been keeping vigil at Damon's bedside for a couple of days now. He's still on the ventilator. Respiratory therapy comes in often to manage his oxygen needs as well as give him nebulizer treatments for his pneumonia. His nurse checks in often to hang fluids and antibiotics. Since Damon is in the ICU, his nurse only has one other patient. Picking up the newspaper for the umpteenth time, I try to read it but I keep getting stuck reading the same sentence over and over.

"Dad?"

"Stefan, I'm glad you're here. Do you think you could stay with him for awhile so I can go home to get some rest?"

"That's why I'm here, dad. Caroline is waiting with Elena in the family room. She thought that Elena should know. She'll take you home."

"I'm glad Caroline took on that responsibility. Frankly, I don't know if I could have without breaking down. And thank you, son," I tell him, giving him a hug. After pressing a kiss to Damon's forehead, I give Stefan a look and walk out of his room. When I get to the family waiting room where I see Elena waiting with Caroline.

"Mr. Salvatore, how is he?" she asks, wringing her hands in knots. I wrap the poor child in my arms to try to offer some comfort.

"Hello Elena. He's about the same, no worse but no better either. I talked to his doctor this morning. If he doesn't wake up by tomorrow, he's going to order an electroencephalogram and consult a neurologist. Frankly, I'm worried about him," I tell her, raking my hand through my hair.

"No, no, no, not Damon," she cries, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Owen, have you talked to Ric or to the police?" Caroline asks, taking my hand in hers.

"I'm going to go with Ric tomorrow to see his friend in the DA's office. Damon's car was found in the Six Flags parking lot. There were no alcohol bottles in or around the car. None were found at the scene. The theory is that both Damon and the dead man were dumped there. Ric thinks they figured that Damon would die too. Why else would whoever did this ply him with enough alcohol to kill him?"

"This is all my fault. If he hadn't gotten involved with me, he'd be okay," Elena whispers, her eyes full of remorse.

"Elena, this isn't your fault. The people that did this are at fault. If it's the last thing I do on this earth, they will be brought to justice. My son is laying in there comatose and hovering near death, I will not let them get away with this," I blurt out, exhaling heavily. Caroline pulls a tear-filled Elena into her arms, all the while her eyes on mine.

"Let's go home, Caroline. I need to get some sleep. I don't know how to thank you and Stefan enough for sitting with him. I just don't want him to wake up alone."

"I'd like to stay with him," Elena offers.

"Stefan can go home for awhile too. Please let me do this," she asks, almost pleading with me.

"Sure," I whisper, taking her hand in mine, I lead her into his room. When she sees him, she starts to stumble. Fortunately, I catch her before she falls. I explain to Stefan that she wants to be with Damon for awhile and that he can come back later to relieve her. Nodding, he agrees.

"Have a seat, Elena," I whisper. Not wanting her to fall, I hold onto her till she sits down. Tears are pouring from her eyes as she takes his hand in hers, dropping a kiss to it. It's like she can't get enough of him. I watch as she raises up to whisper something in his ear and press a kiss to the side of his mouth before sitting back down and clutching his hand to her as if it were her lifeline.

"I'm here, Damon. Please come back to us," she blubbers. I walk out of the room to ask the nurse for a box of Kleenex. Once I hand it to Elena, Stefan and I leave. Taking Caroline's hand in his, we leave the hospital and walk to the parking garage. Yawning deeply, I crawl in the backseat, my eyes falling closed as soon as my head hits the backseat.

* * *

"Elijah and Mikael are meeting us there. They want to get to the bottom of this too. They're well aware that Damon didn't kill anyone so you don't have to worry about that, Owen," Ric says to me as we walk into the district attorney's office.

"This has to be related to Happy Dale doesn't it? I mean what other reason would they have to kill Nik and try to kill my son. That's the only common denominator here, right?"

"Yes, Owen, I believe that too."

"Do you think Elena could also be in danger if you subpoena her records?"

"We're going to meet with the detectives working Damon's case when we leave here. All of us. I'm going ask them about providing some security for Elena. Maybe it would be safer if she went home with her brother for awhile."

"Maybe that's the safest thing for her. Although I think Damon would feel bad if she isn't there, I know he'd want her to be safe. He's in love with her."

"I know he is, Owen," Ric admits as we walk into the building and to the receptionist's desk.

"Hi.. Marcia, I'm Ric Saltzman. I have an appointment with Mr. Donovan."

"I'll tell him that you're here. Please have a seat," she says, a smile on her face. Turning around, I notice that Mikael and Elijah are already here. Mikael nods his head, acknowledging our presence.

"How is Damon?" Mikael asks when Ric and I take a seat.

"He's about the same. He hasn't woken up yet. I'm worried sick and I'm angry beyond words that someone did this to him and to your nephew."

"I'm going to be burying him. Nik's father is a judgmental asshole. He doesn't even want to give the boy a funeral. Nik was a good man. He died a hero as far as I'm concerned."

"Indeed," I agree, pressing my hand to his, giving it a squeeze.

"And how are you Elijah?"

"I want whoever did this to burn in hell," he blurts out, fisting his hands.

"And Owen, neither dad nor I believe that Damon had anything to do with this. Please know that?"

"Thank you, Elijah. That means a lot to me and I'm sure it does to Damon as well."

Just as I finish, the receptionist interrupts our conversation.

"Gentleman, Mr. Donovan will see you now. If you'll follow me," Marcia says, gesturing with her arm. We all stand up to follow her into Mr. Donovan's office.

* * *

Having finished our meeting with Mr. Donovan, all four of us drive over to the police station to talk to the detectives who are investigating this case. After waiting for approximately a half hour, we're show into Detective Pierce's office where she and Detective Boudreau are waiting for us.

"Hello Katherine. This is Damon's father, Owen. You already know Mikael and Elijah."

"Mr. Salvatore, how is your son?" she asks.

"He nearly died. He still hasn't regained consciousness," I explain, turning my eyes down for a moment to maintain my composure.

"I'm very sorry. I hope you get some good news soon," she says, her voice sincere.

"Katherine, can you tell us anything? You and I both know that Damon Salvatore wasn't physically capable of shooting my nephew. Have you uncovered any evidence?"

"No, Mikael, we don't believe Mr. Salvatore is the shooter. There is no sign of evidence of a struggle," she begins then turns to face me.

"Your son's physician told us that he has a broken tooth and his lips were bruised. I think the tooth and lips injury occurred when they shoved a liquor bottle in his mouth. The fact that the gun was found in Damon's left hand is not to go outside of this room. Is that understood?" she tells us emphatically. Her demeanor suggesting that she is dead serious about this.

"Ric, I understand that you have some evidence to implicate Happy Dale regarding an adoption?" When he nods, she continues, "Miss Gilbert was a minor when that baby was born. Perhaps that wasn't illegal at all?"

"Yes, Katherine, she was a minor but she was drugged immediately after the delivery and told that her baby was stillborn. The document proves the child was born alive. What you don't know is that there was also a receipt for a transfer of funds from a bank in the Bahamas to the Gilberts. The Happy Dale people paid the Gilberts for that baby."

"You've seen this document, Ric?"

"Yes, Katherine, I have."

"I hope you have it someplace safe."

"I do indeed."

"It seems Nik was very popular at Happy Dale. We've actually had a couple of people come forward with evidence as well. Don't ask you. For their safety, I can't reveal their names to you or their connection to the case."

"Have you found Miss Gilbert's child?" Detective Boudreau asks, entering the conversation.

"Actually she and I have an appointment with Judge Graves tomorrow afternoon."

We continue to talk for about a half hour. I'm relieved to know that the police don't believe that my son killed Nik. Even if he remembers everything about that night when he wakes up, I doubt that he'll know about Nik's death. I need to be there when he wakes up. After we finish at police headquarters, Ric takes me home so I can get in my car and go back to the hospital. Stefan, Caroline and Elena are all in the family waiting room by the time I arrive.

Although anxious to get to Damon, I do stop to tell them about what's transpired today. All three of them look dead on their feet so I tell them to go home to get some sleep and that there would be no arguments about it. After telling them goodbye, I walk into my son's room, pull up a chair and sit down at his bedside.

It doesn't take long for me to doze off. When I awaken, it's dark outside. The moon is shining through the slats causing the shadows to play on my face. Getting up, I walk over to it. Leaning against the wall, I stare at the sky for several minutes before finally reaching up to close the blinds. Sighing heavily, I walk out of Damon's room to get myself a cold bottle of water.

After visiting with Damon's nurse for a few minutes, I go back into his room. Walking over to his bed, I wrap his hand in my own, giving it a squeeze. Letting it go, I absent mindedly trace his veins with my fingertip, working my way up his arm. It's when I look in his face that I get the surprise of my life, his eyes are open, full of fear and staring at me.

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. I love you lots and I would be lost without your wise counsel and brilliant insight and you love and friendship._

 _Often times people that are intubated are restrained so they can't extubate themselves or pull out the endotracheal or breathing tube that connects them to the ventilator._

 _RANT: I knew JP would use the fact that Damon thinks he killed Elena to let him spiral and have sex with another woman. There was no doubt in my mind that she wouldn't let an entire season go by without giving Damon a sex scene. I knew she'd ruin Damon in my eyes and yet I had a weak moment and watched the stupid episode anyway. I'm not watching again unless and until Elena comes back._

 _Yes, I know he was only kissing the wench at the end of the episode but you know that's meant to lead to sex. Now she may not show it on screen but it's a given. I hope they come back next week and he says he didn't go there._

 _In Barbossa's words, "...but I doubt it" JP's being too cute by half if she thinks it's okay because it's not, at least not with me. He can keep it in his pants for 60 years for Katherine and can't even go twelve episodes for Elena. It's pathetic, he's pathetic. And if he wants to suffer for thinking he killed her, he shouldn't engage in something that gives him pleasure. I don't know what on God's green earth ever possessed me to watch last night? Just stake me now._

 _This is the same old recycled storyline that they're still using 7 years later. It's 2x01, 3x14, his S5 spiral when he thought Elena broke up with him._

 _Thank you all of you who reviewed the last chapter. I appreciate them so much._

 _Chapter Title: 'Flightless Bird, American Mouth' by Iron and Wine._

 _'Dig' and 'Angels Fall' are still in progress. My in progress stories will all continue to post until they can be marked #complete._

 _Watch Damon and Elena: How they fell in love with each other by iForeverYooung (This is my favorite)_

 _Damon and Elena: Until My Last Breath by iForeverYooung_

 _Damon and Elena: Until you come back to me by Naphie88_

 _Damon and Elena: Timeless Love by ShatteredxDesires_

 _The Full story of Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert by Sahnekirsche100_

 _They're all beautiful renditions of DE on youtube. I'll have to have my DE vicariously through them._

 _Please remember to review._

 _Be safe, have a wonderful weekend and we'll see you next week._


	19. Breathe

"Oh my God, Damon. You're awake," I gasp, reaching up to caress his face with the palm of my hand. Almost instantly, his heart monitor starting blaring loudly, his heart rate skyrocketing as he struggles mightily against his restraints. His nurse is running into the room before I can even call for her.

"Damon, you need to calm down. You're in the hospital and on a ventilator. Your hands are restrained so you can't extubate yourself," she explains, her hand on his forearm trying to get him to stop struggling against the restraints. Although she doesn't let go of his arm, she turns to look at me.

"Mr. Salvatore, can you please try to calm him down so I can call his physician?" Nodding, I step next to his bedside again, taking his hands in mine, allowing his nurse Sofia to leave his room. It scares me to see his eyes so full of fear. I never wanted to see that look on my son's face again.

"Son, calm down please? I'm so grateful that you're awake. I've been insanely worried about you."

Feeling his hand squeeze mine, I reach up with my left hand to finger some hair off of his forehead.

"I know you're scared and have no idea what's going on, but I need you to try to relax. I'll fill you in on everything as soon as the doctor finishes with you..," I add, stooping over to press a kiss to his temple, just as the doctor walks into his room and over to the bedside.

"Hello Damon. My name is Dr. Adams. I'm going to go to gather the supplies I need and get a respiratory therapist in here. After everything is together, I'll remove the tube. Sometimes a patient needs to have the tube put back down and we need to prepare for that so we can manage your airway. Just nod your head if you understand?"

I feel him squeeze my hand harder but he does nod his head. As soon as the nurse and a respiratory therapist come in, the doctor asks me to leave for a few minutes till the procedure is done. After assuring Damon that I'll be right outside the door, I give his hand another firm squeeze before letting go and walking outside. The nurse pulls the curtain across so I can't watch.

Again minutes seem to pass like hours as I wait to go to see my son and to see if he has any recollection of that night. I've never been so grateful to have him wake up. If it wasn't the middle of the night, I'd call Stefan to tell him the good news. I'll call him in the morning. Being pregnant with my grandchild, Caroline needs her rest and I don't want to disturb them at three thirty in the morning. Finally the nurse comes out to bring me into the room to see my boy.

"Damon?" I whisper, rushing to his bedside to give him a hug. Something I hadn't been able to do when he was attached to so much equipment. He still has so many wires and tubes attached but at least the ventilator is gone.

"Dad, why am I here?" he asks, his voice raspy and still fearful sounding.

"Do you remember anything about the night you and Elijah met with Nik?"

"No, not really. I remember feeling a gun in my back. I thought the person was trying to rob me. It's a blur after that."

"Nik is dead, Damon. He was shot. The police found the murder weapon in your hand."

Immediately his face fills with fear and shock.

"I would never," he swears, shaking his head from side to side.

"I know, son. The police don't believe you did it either. They seem to think that both of you were meant to die. The crime scene was staged to make you look like the shooter."

"I.. I.. I," he starts to say, stumbling over the words.

When I wrap his hand in mine, he looks at me, his eyes full of tears.

"I guess I should've known how ruthless these people are. Girls have died," he mumbles, reaching up to wipe the tears from his eyes.

"Damon, none of this is your fault."

"But Nik is dead. He was a good guy, dad. What are we going to do now that he's dead? How are we going to shut that place down?"

"I don't know, son. But somehow, someway, we're going to do it. However, under no circumstances will I allow you to go back to that place."

"But dad, Anna? I can't just abandon her. She won't understand."

"I know you care for that little girl. So do I, but I care about you more."

"Dad?"

"Damon."

I watch as a drop of moisture forms at the inner corners of his eyes when he squeezes his them closed tightly. Several seconds pass before he opens them. When he finally regains his composure, he takes a breath and looks at me again.

"Do you have any idea how I broke a tooth?"

"They seem to think that the alcohol was forced down your throat. Detective Pierce believes that when they shoved the bottle into your mouth, that's what broke your tooth."

"I was drunk? I don't remember drinking that night. I just don't remember anything," he repeats, his voice laden with anxiety, his eyes wild.

"I'll admit to you that I have been sorely tempted at times but I've really tried to leave it alone. I promise," he pleads, practically begging for me to believe him.

"I know that. The police believe the alcohol was forced into you. Your lips were swollen and bruised when you were found. You almost died from alcohol poisoning. Your blood alcohol level was so high that you had seizures. Whoever these people are, they nearly succeeded in killing you, Damon."

His eyes widen and I can see the fear there as he struggles to understand what's happened to him. He's quiet for several minutes as if he's again trying to understand.

"I'm tired."

"Just go to sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up." Nodding at me, he closes his eyes but never lets go of my hand.

* * *

Damon:

"Damon, I'm so glad you're awake. I was so worried about you," Elena says, running to my bedside. After planting a blistering kiss to my lips, she pulls back, giving me a moment to catch my breath.

"I thought you were mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"You don't remember?"

"I know that you didn't tell me that you had suspicions about Happy Dale. And I know I reacted badly but I'm not mad at you," she says, her own eyes tearing up.

"I was so afraid that I was going to lose you."

Her tears are trailing down her cheeks now. I hate seeing her cry.

"Elena?"

"No, I need to say this. I know you were only trying to protect me. I hope you can forgive me for behaving like that."

Staring at her, I suck in a deep breath before sliding over to make room for her to sit beside me on the bed. Once she hops on and gets comfortable, I wrap my arm around her, pulling her close enough for me to press a kiss to her temple.

"I'm glad you're here. I love you, Elena," I whisper softly, focusing my eyes on her, trying to gauge her reaction to those three little words. Her mouth drops just slightly. Then suddenly both of her arms are around my neck and her lips are pressed flush against mine in a heated kiss.

"I love you too, Damon Salvatore," she says softly, dropping another scorching kiss to my lips.

"Um, Jeremy and Lexie are outside waiting to take me home. Jeremy would like to say goodbye to you, they're going back to Colorado tomorrow."

"Sure, I'd like to see him."

Nodding, she jumps off the bed, walking out of the room. In a few minutes she walks back in with her brother and sister in law. I'm no longer in the intensive care unit which is why I'm allowed more than a couple of visitors at a time.

"Damon," Jeremy greets me, extending his hand for me to shake. I'm still hooked up to the IV fluids so I have to be careful so I don't get the tubing caught. They put a central line in my subclavian vein so they could bolus me with a lot of fluid when I was brought in by ambulance that night. I have no memory of that though.

"Elena tells me that you're going home tomorrow?"

"That's the plan anyway."

"That's something I wanted to ask you about. I was thinking maybe Elena should come home with Lexie and I if only for safety's sake. They almost killed you, Damon. They're serving the subpoena on Happy Dale tomorrow to get the records of her boy's adoption," he says, staring at his sister.

"I don't want to leave. What if my boy is here? Plus, I don't want to leave Damon while he's convalescing," she tells him, her voice adamant.

"Elena, I don't want anything to happen to you. Your son could be anywhere. I want you to be safe," I tell her, taking her hands in mine.

"No, I'm not leaving you." Although I'm beyond grateful for her devotion, I do want her to stay safe.

"Elena?"

"No Damon, I'm staying. There will be no argument about it," she chastises me before continuing when she turns to Jeremy.

"I appreciate it more than you know that you want me to come home with you. My home is here now though. I want to be with him."

"Alright, I'll drop it for now but you have to promise you'll reconsider should anything untoward happens."

"I'm with Jeremy on that, Elena."

"I promise," she agrees, staring into my eyes.

"Are you ready to go home, Elena?" Lexie asks.

"No, I want to stay with Damon for awhile yet."

"My dad will be coming over later. He can give Elena a ride home." Nodding, he shakes my hand once more, gives Elena a hug, takes Lexie's hand and out of the door they go.

"Thank you," I whisper, patting the side of the bed again. Smiling, she hops in and wraps her arms around my middle while I wrap mine around her shoulders. Feeling completely happy in this moment, I just breathe her in, letting all my troubles lift for a little while.

* * *

"Welcome home, Damon," dad says happily when we walk into the house. Elena walks in behind me followed by Stefan and Caroline. I'm a little anxious however. I'm to have a police guard for the foreseeable future. The police believe that I was meant to die that night too. I feel horrible about Nik's death. I would have liked to attend his funeral but because I was still unconscious at the time, it wasn't possible. I still have no memory of that night beyond the feeling of having the barrel of a gun shoved against me.

Still feeling weak, once I get inside, I collapse onto the couch. I grab Elena's hand and pull her down beside me.

"I'm going to make us some supper. Is there anything you'd like, Damon?"

"Anything is fine, dad. Don't go to a lot of trouble. I'm really not very hungry."

"You need to eat to get your strength back," he chastises me before walking into the kitchen.

"I'm just going to see if Owen needs any help," Caroline adds, standing up.

"How's the baby, Caroline?" I ask, genuinely curious.

"It's good. Three months till we get to meet our little girl."

"You found out?"

"Yes, we wanted to know what color to decorate the nursery with."

"I'm happy for you, honestly."

"I know you are, Damon. Um.., I'm just going to check with Owen."

She smiles at me before going off and into the kitchen.

"Do you have any idea when you're coming back to work, Damon?"

"I don't know Stefan. I don't think I'd be any good right now. I get tired so easily and I can't concentrate. I don't know, maybe I did have some brain damage. Dr. Adams told me that I was barely alive when they found me. I was meant to die, Stefan," I whisper, my voice cracking under the strain.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going upstairs."

Shakily, I stand up and walk away to try to regain my composure. Climbing the stairs is a chore but I finally get to my bedroom. Knowing that a nice hot bubble bath will feel good, I peel off my clothes and walk into the bathroom. I turn the water on hot and then pour some bubble bath in, watching it foam up. Bubble baths are a guilty pleasure of mine. Staring at the bubbles, my mind drifts making me feel afraid. I hate feeling weak, I hate it. Distraught, I climb into the bathtub and just let the water take me away. My mind drifts somewhere so distant that I don't even hear the knock on my bathroom door.

"Damon, can I come in?" With my eyes closed and my head elsewhere, I don't respond, not knowing if the voice is real or if I'm imagining it.

"Damon?" I hear again, only this time it's loud enough that I open my eyes.

"Elena? What is it?"

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know."

Unable to look at her, I drop my chin to my chest.

She leans over to press a kiss to my cheek and take my hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. When she whispers for me to lean forward, I do. Unable to take my eyes from hers, I watch as she soaps up a washcloth and begins to massage my back with it. It feels so good to have her kind, yet firm hands work the knots from my back and neck. Picking up the pitcher that's on the floor beside the tub, she uses it to pour water over my head. When she finishes with my back, she takes my shampoo, pours a dollop on her hand then works it into my hair. Her fingers working wonders on my scalp. Once she has the shampoo lathered up good, she takes the pitcher, dips it in the water and rinses out my hair. Afterwards, she presses one more kiss to my temple. Kneeling beside the tub, she wraps her arms around me when I break down, tears filling my eyes.

Feeling completely foreign in my own skin, I raise my eyes to hers.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what's the matter with me."

"It's okay, Damon. You went through something very traumatic. I understand."

Feeling completely foreign and overwhelmed in my own body, I wrap a hand around her neck and pull her lips to mine in a scorching kiss.

"I love you, Elena. Please don't give up on me."

"You almost died because of me. I won't ever give up on you," she reassures me, palming my face, dropping a kiss to my forehead.

"It's not your fault. It's those bastards who run Happy Dale. If it's the last thing I do, they are going down," I tell her, my resolve firm.

"Damon, you have to be careful. I love you so much. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm just worried about Anna. Both dad and the police have told me that I'm not to set foot on their property for who knows how long. Elena, she's not going to understand why I've abandoned her." Reaching up, I pinch the bridge of my nose, trying to halt any more tears. Knowing I need to get some semblance of control back, I take a couple of deep breaths before turning my attention back to Elena.

"I can go to see her."

"No, you're not going anywhere near there either. They know about you now. Would you consider staying with me and dad till the dust settles? Please, I worry about you being in that house by yourself."

"If it'll ease your mind, I'll stay here with you."

Sighing with relief, I relax visibly. "Can you hand me a towel? I suppose dad has supper ready by now."

Standing up, she gets one out of the linen closet, handing it to me.

"You're all wet," I chuckle, standing up. Wrapping a towel around my waist, I pause for a moment to lift one more heady kiss from her lips before walking into my bedroom. Digging through my dresser drawer, I find her a pair of sleep shorts and tee shirt, handing them to her. After slipping my own pajamas on, I drop onto the bed and wait for her to come out of the bathroom. When she does, I take her hand in mine and the two of us go downstairs to join the others in the kitchen.

"Where are Stefan and Caroline?" I ask, walking over to the stove to see what dad is cooking.

"Caroline was tired too. They decided to get something to eat on their way home." Turning to face me, he gives me a look. Unable to hold his stare, I drop my eyes and take a deep breath. Using his hand, he raises my chin to look into his eyes.

"How can I help?" he asks, his concern obvious by his facial expression.

"I don't know what's the matter with me dad. I'm so overwhelmed, like I'm a stranger inside my own skin. I can't explain, I just feel completely unsettled on the inside. I'm crying all the time and I don't know why. What's wrong with me, dad?"

"Damon?"

"You said I was barely breathing when I was found. Could I have a brain injury?"

"I don't know, Damon. Maybe it's just post traumatic stress? But I do know that come Monday, I'm going to insist you go to see the doctor. You have your follow up appointment next week anyway. Dr. Adams can just see you a few days sooner. Is that agreeable to you?"

"I'm going with you too," Elena adds, taking my hand in hers.

Sucking in a deep breath, I squeeze her hand before letting go to give my dad a hug.

"Thank you, both of you." With a nod, I pull a chair out for Elena. Once she sits down, I help dad put the food on the table. The three of us eat quietly discussing trivial matters to keep my mind off of things, our conversation disrupted when the doorbell rings.

"Stay," I tell my dad, "I'll answer it." Getting up, I walk into the other room to answer the door.

"Hi Ric, come in." Stepping aside, I hold the door open while he walks in.

"Is Elena here? I stopped at her house first but no one was home."

"Yeah, she's in the kitchen. Follow me."

"Ric, would you like something to eat?" dad asks.

"No Owen. I have some news for Elena."

"Me?" she asks, looking surprised.

"It's a good thing you're sitting down.

"I don't understand?"

"Elena," he begins, taking a seat beside her at the table.

"What is it, Ric?"

"The police have found your son."

* * *

 _**A central line is an IV line that is inserted into a large vein such as the superior vena cava, typically in the neck (intrajugular) or near the heart for administering IV fluids, medications and or withdrawing blood. A subclavian central line is inserted below the clavicle aka the collar bone._

 _Thank you, Eva for everything. I love and appreciate you so much. She contributes so much to my stories. I don't know where I'd be without her always brilliant suggestions._

 _Thanks so very much to all of you who took a few moments to leave a review, I appreciate them more than you know._

 _Eva and I are working hard on 'Nothing Left to Fear'. 11 chapters are complete. I don't have any idea how long of a story it will be though. I never outline, I just start to type._

 _Chapter title: 'Breathe' by David Hodges featuring Amy Lee_

 _My other in progress stories are ' **Dig** ' and ' **Angels Fall** '. Please have a look too._

 ** _Reviews are love._**

 _Stay safe and have a wonderful weekend. Thank you again for your support. Until next time.._


	20. State of My Head

Ric told us all of the specifics that evening. Apparently her little boy was adopted out to a filthy rich couple. The way it sounds, the boy is being raised by the nanny because the parents are too busy with their social life to pay any attention to them. Elena has to go to court to try to get custody of him. Since his adoption was illegal and due to the adoptive parents' negligence, Ric believes that the Judge will indeed award custody to Elena.

It's going to be an adjustment for both Elena and especially the child. She missed every special moment of his young childhood. His first steps, his first words, the first time he rolled over. I really feel bad for both of them. I'm sure the child is lonely. The parents probably only wanted him to say they had a child, not because they really wanted one. That's what Ric has told me based on the investigation that the police conducted.

"What are you thinking?" dad asks as he drives me to my doctor appointment.

"I was thinking about how Elena and the boy are going to cope once she gets him back."

"I thought she was going to come with us today?"

"She really wanted to but Ric needed to go over some things with her before they go to court."

"I see. And to respond to the point you just made, I think that both Elena and the boy are going to need our help. Are you up for that?" he asks, glancing at me for a millisecond before turning his eyes back to the road.

Turning to look out of the window, I take a deep breath. "I honestly don't know, dad."

"You're going to have to decide sooner rather than later. Ric and Elena are going to court this week."

"I know."

"What are we going to do about Anna?"

"I don't know, dad. I'm sure she thinks that I abandoned her."

"Then we should go to see her as soon as the police say it's safe for you to go to Happy Dale."

"And on that segue, Carol Lockwood is in custody. From what Elijah and Mikael have said, she's singing like a canary. The police have already executed a search warrant. They're going through that place with a fine tooth comb. I hope some of the girls that died get some justice."

"I really hope so too. Here we are, Damon."

He makes the turn into the parking lot for Dr. Adam's office. Once he stops the car, I close my eyes and take a few shuddering breaths.

"My hands are actually shaking."

Holding out my arms, I show him, my eyes on the fine tremors that wrack my body.

"Calm down. We're going to get some answers," he reassures me, taking my hand in his own. He stares into my eyes for a long moment. Nodding, I release one more breath before taking ahold of the handle. Opening the door, I step outside. Still feeling a shiver, I stand there for a few seconds before finally pushing the door closed. My reverie is broken when I feel dad's hand on my shoulder.

"Let's go inside."

Nodding, I follow him into the building. After telling the receptionist that we've arrived, we take a seat, thumbing through magazines while wait for the nurse to take us into an exam room. My knee is bouncing erratically while my insides are churning so hard that I can almost taste the bile. Finally I hear my name called. Dad and I stand up to follow the nurse into a room. She takes my vitals signs and records them in my chart. I'm sure my pressure is sky high given the state I'm in.

"You blood pressure and pulse are pretty high. Are you feeling okay?"

"Just nerves I think."

"Do you have any allergies and do you take any medication at home, Mr. Salvatore?"

"No allergies that I'm aware of and I only take vitamins, an occasional Advil or Tylenol for headaches but that's it."

"Okay then. Dr. Adams will be in shortly," she adds then walks out, leaving dad and I alone again. Fortunately it doesn't take long for Dr. Adams to join us.

"Hello," he greets us, taking a seat. After acknowledging him, he looks at my chart before raising his eyes to me.

"How are you feeling, Damon?"

"I feel wrecked for lack of a better word. I'm more emotional than I've ever been. I find myself crying inappropriately. I...I.. I don't know what's the matter with me," I blurt out, my voice cracking.

"Well Damon. Someone tried to kill you and came very close to succeeding. I think this is post traumatic stress in all honesty."

"Will I get better?"

"It's still fresh in your mind. You just got out of the hospital a few days ago. I think we need to give yourself a little more time to come to terms with everything. If this melancholy doesn't pass, I will send you to a psychiatrist for further care. Does that sound reasonable to you?"

Lost in my thoughts, I stare at the door, not even realizing that I've tuned out.

"Damon?"

"I'm sorry, I find myself doing that too, zoning out. I have a lot on my plate and I need my head in the game but I can't concentrate. I hate feeling like this," I utter, dropping my eyes.

"I hate to resort to medication already, Damon. What I'm going to suggest is that you take time outs and learn some relaxation techniques. You need to eat well balanced meals. Don't skip them and snack on energy bars, juices that type of thing. Limit the amounts of caffeine and no more alcohol," he stresses.

"You also need to get enough sleep and also to make time to work in some exercise. I want to see you again in a couple of weeks. If you're not feeling any better, I'll refer you to that psychiatrist."

Staring at him, I finally nod my acceptance. He then stands up to examine me, listening to my heart and lungs, checking my reflexes and so forth. When finished, he writes a few things in my chart before leaving us. Shortly thereafter, his nurse comes back in the room with pamphlets about dealing with stress. I thumb through them before getting up to follow the nurse out as she leads us to the reception desk to make a follow up appointment.

After handing me an appointment card, I follow dad outside to the car. Sliding in the car, I buckle my seatbelt before dropping my head in my hands. Feeling completely overwhelmed, I just don't know what to do. Truth be told, it feels like my life is unraveling and I'm unable to do anything to stop it. Having zoned out again, I look up when I hear dad's voice.

"I wish I could offer you some comfort, Damon. I wish I could tell you that it's going to get better. Will you do what the doctor suggested over the next couple of weeks? I mean, I'd hate for you to have to take prescription medication but if that's what it takes to help you out of this funk, then we'll do it okay?"

"I'm willing to try anything dad. I can't be like this."

"I know, son. I know," he says softly, reaching over to give my leg a squeeze. I acknowledge him with nod and then he starts the car and begins the drive home.

* * *

"How did you doctor appointment go?" Elena asks when dad and I get home. I don't know what I'd do without my father. With my mind caught in a maelstrom, I don't begin to know how I'd cope without my family. I know no other way to describe all these things that are whirling around inside my head.

"He thinks it's post traumatic stress. He wants me to try some non-medicinal methods of coping with stress. If they don't work, he's going to refer me to a psychiatrist. I have a follow up appointment in a couple of weeks," I explain, dropping onto the couch beside her, again burying my face in my hands. I turn my head towards her when I feel her gentle hand begin to massage my neck.

"That's nice. Thank you, Elena."

"I want to help you, Damon. I wish there was something I could do to make you feel better," she whispers, leaning forward to press a kiss to the side of my face.

"You being here helps immeasurably." She's so beautiful and her smile is the one bright spot in my day.

"What did Ric have to say?"

"We go to court the day after tomorrow. Basically he just talked to me, you know, going over things that he suspects the Judge and the opposing counsel will bring up. Do you think you could come with me?"

"I wouldn't be anywhere else."

When I hear footsteps, I raise my eyes, meeting my father's when he walks into the living room to join us.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to go down to your office to see if I can help Stefan."

"If you don't mind, I'll go with you, Owen."

Elena takes my hand in hers and continues, "You and Stefan have been really great about giving me time off. But I'll need off again on Thursday for our court appearance so I think I should put in a little time at work. Will you be okay alone, Damon?"

"I'll be fine. I'm not suicidal, Elena," I blurt out, my voice sounding strained.

"Okay then," she remarks, standing up.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I didn't mean to sound so harsh. I... I..," I mumble, shaking my head.

"Don't worry about it. I didn't take it personally. I'll see you later," she says, lifting a kiss from my lips before walking away to grab her bag.

"We won't be gone long, Damon," dad adds, giving me a terse smile. As soon as Elena comes back downstairs, the two of them take off, leaving me all alone in my thoughts.

* * *

I sit on the couch for quite a while. Feeling fatigued, I get up and walk upstairs to take a nap. When I get in my room, something draws me to my dresser. Closing my eyes for a moment, I pull open the drawer, reach inside and pick up the photograph. Tears start to fill my eyes when I look at myself, so happy once upon a time. I run my finger tips over the glass, specifically the face. I'll never get over this loss. It's too deep, too profound, too life altering. I just stand here frozen till I feel my cat rubbing against my legs. Sighing heavily, I put the picture back inside carefully and push the drawer shut, stooping down to pet him. Picking him up, I walk over to my bed, plop down on it and curl into a ball, my beloved cat in my arms. It takes mere moments for me to drift off to sleep.

 _"That's right. We have to bait the hook and then cast out the line," I explain, demonstrating what I'm talking about._

 _"Like this?"_

 _"Yes. I'm so proud of you."_

 _When I see that smile, it lightens up my whole day, filling my heart with overwhelming love._

 _"I caught one," I hear an excited voice yell._

 _"You did, now reel it in. Just like this," I add, showing how to do it with my own fishing rod._ _Reaching into the water with the fishnet, I lift it on the boat._

 _"I'm so proud of you."_

I wake up in a cold sweat when I feel the cat's claws pressing into my arm, trying to get out of my embrace. Letting it go, I lurch upright, wiping the sweat from my brow. Glancing at the clock, I've only been asleep about an hour and a half. I'm utterly amazed that the cat stayed in my arms as long as it did. Throwing my legs over the side of the bed, I sit up long enough to get my bearings before going into the bathroom to do my business.

Thinking that maybe a shower might feel good, I strip off my clothes and get in and turn the hot water on full blast. Pressing my palms flat against the shower wall, I stand here and let the water pelt against my body. I stay this way for quite awhile before release the wall to grab a bar of soap to clean myself. After shampooing my hair, I turn off the water and get out.

Reaching for a towel, I wipe off my face and fluff my wet hair before wrapping it around my waist to go back into my room. Once I have some clothes on, I decide to try to do something productive so I go to the kitchen to do some baking. Grabbing all the ingredients I need to make some homemade bread, I begin. Just as I slide the pans into the oven, I hear the door open and close. Minutes later dad and Elena walk into the kitchen.

"What are you making?"

"I thought I'd try to do something, anything so I made some homemade bread. I'm going to make supper too. It helps to keep my mind occupied. Does anything sound good?" I ask as I start to put the bread ingredients back into the cupboard.

Although he has a smile on his face, dad looks like he's contemplating something. "How about lasagna?"

"That actually sounds really good," Elena agrees.

"Lasagna it is then." I open the freezer and pull out some hamburger. Fortunately I have ricotta and mozzarella cheese. I grab some onions and garlic out of the bottom of the refrigerator and get started. Both of them offer to help but I want to do it myself. With a nod, they both walk out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more.

* * *

"I thought maybe I'd find you here when I couldn't find you downstairs," Elena remarks, walking into my bedroom. She stoops over to give me a kiss before going into the bathroom. My eyes practically pop out of my head when she comes back in wearing nothing at all. The confidence she's displaying gives my libido a much needed shot in the arm. It's been sorely lacking since I got out of the hospital too. She slides in next to me, slapping her lips to mine in a languid kiss. I gasp when her little hand works its way under the elastic of my boxer shorts, taking a hold of me. Taking advantage of the opening I gave her, she thrusts her tongue inside my mouth, tangling it with mine. When she pulls away, she drops her lips to my ear, telling me to lie down in bed.

When I do, she gives me a smirk before sliding down my body. She takes ahold of my boxers and pulls them down my legs when I raise my hips to help her out. Once they're off, she throws them behind her before slithering back up, her tongue landing on the slit which almost immediately sends me to paradise. When she takes me into her mouth, a needy groan escapes mine. She starts to work my length, her head bobbing up and down. With a mind of its own, my hand finds its way to her hair. Tangling my fingers in her tresses, I push and pull matching the rhythm she's using so effectively. Feeling her teeth scrape the underside is my undoing because I erupt like Krakatoa, spurting my release. I'm completely shocked when she swallows every drop, licking her lips when she finally releases me.

Panting so hard my chest is heaving, I'm literally speechless. When I can feel my body again, I whisper, "Come here."

After giving me a lascivious look, she crawls up and lays on top me. Able to finally raise my hands, I cradle her cheeks and pull her lips to mine. At the same time, our lips are fused, I roll her beneath me. She spreads her legs open to make room for me. Grinding my hips to her center with my once again hard cock, I close my eyes, reveling in how it feels to be with her like this. Reaching between us, I take myself in hand and rub the head along her moist and hot lady parts till she's the one moaning aloud.

"Please Damon," she whimpers when I press the head at her entrance. I push inside of her at the same time our eyes meet. Closing my eyes for just a moment, I revel in the feel of being inside of her. There's never been anyone else that fit me so well. It's like we were made just for each other.

"Move," she whimpers, shimmying her hips as she urges me onward.

"Okay baby," I pant, pulling out and slamming back inside of her beautiful and perfect body. Soon we're working together, give and take as she raises her hips to meet my thrusts. Lowering my mouth, I capture one of her rosy-colored nipples in my mouth, lapping at it and biting it ever so gently as I suckle like a newborn. I pucker my lips and suck on it, pulling away to release it with a plopping sound. Then I turn my attention to her other breast, paying it homage all the while my hips snap into hers, the sounds of our lovemaking filling the room.

"More," she grunts. I stop what I'm doing and press my lips firmly to hers, kissing her like there's no tomorrow. When I release them, I gently bite on her lower one, sucking it into my mouth. Giving a flash of my eye thing, I let go again.

"On your knees," I tell her, my voice husky with lust. The moon light illuminates her pupils, brimming with as much lust as I feel. Dutifully she gets onto her hands and knees, looking over her shoulder, she gives me a seductive glance. I answer it by slamming inside of her. The slapping sound as our skin meets is music to in my ears. I will never tire of this sound. Placing my hands on her hips, I push in and pull out before letting go and letting her take over, impaling herself over and over on my length till I finally feel her body convulsing along my dick. She drops to her elbows, her body tremoring as she screams her release with my name on her lips. I thrust not once but twice more before I let go, wave after wave of the rapture pulsing through me as I reach the mountain top before wafting down to the valley below, collapsing on top of her. When I can breathe again, I roll off of her and pull her into my arms.

Afterwards, we lay quietly, just enjoying being in each others arms. Elena is drawing circles on my chest with her finger, raising her eyes to mine every few moments.

"Is something bothering you?"

"I'm scared. I'm scared to get him back. I don't know anything about being a parent. What if he doesn't like me?"

"Oh sweetheart. I think it's only natural to be scared, given your ' _unique_ ' circumstances. You have to remember that he's going to be scared too. He doesn't know you from the man in the moon. It's going to take a lot of love and a lot of patience. I expect that he'll act up sometimes. You'll just have to take it one day at a time."

"But... but, what if hurt him? What if taking custody messes him up?" she whispers. Her eyes are glistening with tears when I look at her. Already wrapped in my arms, I give her a tighter squeeze and drop a kiss to the crown of her head.

"He's only five years old. I'm not going to sugarcoat it. There's no doubt in my mind that there will be tough times. That's exactly why you're going to have to be patient with him. There are innumerable ways for you to show him that you love him. I'll do whatever you need me to do, Elena."

"Thank you. I don't know what I would do if you weren't here, Damon."

"I never intend to let you find out," I add, using my hand to raise her eyes to mine so she knows that I'm being sincere.

"I love you too," she starts to say but it's interrupted by a big yawn.

"Let's go to sleep," I whisper, tipping my head down to kiss her lips. She stares at me a few seconds before giving me a subtle nod. I watch as she closes her eyes and snuggles in flush against my body. After pressing one more kiss to the top of her head, I whisper that I love her before closing my eyes, letting sleep pull me under.

* * *

"Are you ready?" I ask, my fingers laced with hers. We're here at child services with Ric and a court appointed child advocate to meet and take custody of Elena's son. I feel sorry for the boy, not because of Elena but because he's going to be uprooted. It's going to be quite an adjustment for a five year old and for Elena too. She's really good with Anna though so I hope she doesn't get overwhelmed. Things are different when it's your own child.

After introducing ourselves, the receptionist takes us to a large room for us to wait in while they go to get the boy. His name is Christian David Blake. Elena is a nervous wreck. She keeps looking up at the clock as the minutes pass slowly. Getting up, I walk over to her and pull her into my arms, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. Suddenly the door opens. I can feel Elena's body tremble harder as the door opens ever wider. Standing there in the doorway is a little boy. His brown hair and eyes, exact copies of his mothers. Elena gasps and pulls out of my arms. Dropping to her knees in front of the boy, she shakily raises her hand to touch his little cheek with her fingertips.

"Christian, I'm your mother," she whispers. And miracles never cease because he wraps his little arms around her neck and gives her a hug. When Elena's tear-filled eyes meet mine, I smile because in this moment, all is well in the world.

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. You know I love you and would be lost without your endless supply of brilliance._

 _Thanks so much to all of you who have taken those extra few seconds to leave me a review. I appreciate it so much._

 _Chapter title: 'State of My Head' by Shinedown_

 _'Dig' and 'Angels Fall' are still in progress too._

 _Please remember to click that **review** button._

 _Working on chapter 18 of 'Nothing Left to Fear'. I will give you a tease when it's closer to completion._

 _Stay safe and have a wonderful weekend. Thank you all again._


	21. St Elmo's Fire

"Whew! I'm exhausted," Elena blurts out, dropping onto the couch. I follow behind with Chris, sound asleep in my arms. The three of us spent the day at 'Six Flags Hurricane Harbor'. Chris especially loved 'Hook's ship' and 'Hook's Lagoon Treehouse. We spent most of our day at those two rides. Elena slathered both Chris and me repeatedly with sunscreen. Despite her precautions, I still got sunburnt, my face especially. I take Chris into his room, pull back the covers and lay him on his bed. After carefully slipping his shoes off, I cover him up before tip toeing out of the room before carefully pulling the door shut.

For whatever reason, so far Chris has done really well with Elena. Maybe it's his young age or maybe it's because he was neglected by the Blake's? I just don't have an answer although I am grateful for it. Elena tells me that he has woken up scared a few times. She usually lays in bed with him till he goes back to sleep. Somehow though, I think it's the calm before the storm. He's bound to have issues after such a monumental upheaval of everything he has ever known.

He's been with Elena for a little over two weeks now. I have mentioned to her that I thought she should consider taking him to a counselor because there's no doubt in my mind that the pressure cooker is going to blow. It almost feels as though Elena is wearing rose-colored glasses. After some prodding on my part, she has admitted that he's had a few nightmares. I just wish I could make her see reason. She thinks I have no experience with kids but she's wrong. I was in the boy scouts for a long time and mentored some of the younger cub scouts. I would babysit for Stefan when my parents went out. I'm not completely wet behind the ears where kids are concerned.

After using the bathroom, I go back downstairs only to find Elena asleep on the couch. Looking around, I see an afghan laying atop the rocking chair. Grabbing ahold, I use it to cover her up. Blowing out a puff of air, I pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. I'm still a wreck myself but I have to hold it together because she needs me right now. I do love her but I have so much resting on my shoulders, I don't know how to be all things to everybody. Finding a piece of paper, I write her a note, telling her that I went home. Pressing a light kiss to her hair, I quietly leave, locking her door and pulling it closed. I wander around aimlessly for awhile before finally turning around to walk home.

* * *

"Hi dad."

After closing the front door, I walk further into the house, stunned when I see that he's entertaining a lady. And it's not just any lady, it's Caroline's mother, Liz.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had company. Hello Liz."

"You didn't interrupt anything, Damon. I made some homemade lemonade. Would you like some?"

"I don't think so. I'm just really tired."

"Hi Damon. You look like you had a little too much sun," Liz says, smiling at me.

"I did. Sometimes too much sun just saps your strength. I'm going to shower and take a nap." I take a deep breath and walk out of the room. Just as I'm about to walk up the stairs, dad steps behind me.

"I asked Liz to stay for a late supper. I bought some steaks to grill. Is that alright with you?" Exhaling, I turn around to look at him.

"Dad, this is your home now too. I only want you to be happy and if Liz gives you some companionship, I'm fine with her being here."

"Thank you son. What time do you want me to wake you for supper?"

"It's four o'clock now. How about seven?"

"Sure. If you don't come down by seven fifteen, I'll wake you."

"Sounds good," I tell him, then continue up the stairs.

* * *

Feeling someone's hand jostling my arm, I roll over, not wanting to get up yet. When I hear my dad telling me to wake up, I raise my weary eyes to see my dad standing over me.

"What time is it?" I ask, using my forearm to cover my eyes.

"It's about six thirty but Elena is on the phone, sounding rather frantic."

"Did she tell you what's wrong?" I ask, throwing my legs over the side of the bed, sitting upright.

"No."

After taking a moment to wipe the sleep from my eyes, I stand up and follow him downstairs. Wondering why she didn't just call my cell, I pull it out of my pocket, only then remembering that I turned it off so I wouldn't be bothered while I slept. Exhaling a breath, I pick up the land line. Hearing her crying, I ask her what's wrong.

"It's Chris. He hiding under his bed. He won't come out and is crying for his nanny. I've tried to coax him with a popsicle but he threw it back at me. I don't know what to do, Damon. Can you come over?" she blubbers, her voice hard to understand through the sobbing.

"Yeah, I'll be there in a little bit."

"Thank you," she whispers, hanging up.

"Chris is acting up. Frankly, I'm surprised it took this long," I explain to my dad, grabbing my hoodie.

"I'll wait a little bit to grill the steaks. You could bring them back with you if you want, there's enough meat."

"Thanks dad. I'll let you know what we're going to do."

Turning to Liz, I offer my apologizes. "I'm sorry but I have to run."

"No worries, Damon."

Nodding, I give my dad a one armed hug before walking out of the door. I jog down the sidewalk till I get to Elena's house. She's standing at the door waiting for me. Her eyes are swollen and red. Mascara is trailing down her cheeks making her look a fright.

"Elena?"

Wasting no time, I pull her into my arms and rub my hands up and down her back. Her whole body is just trembling. With care, I lead her over to the couch and sit her down. She's dead on her feet.

Stooping down in front of her, I give her knee a squeeze. "Is he still in his room?"

"Ye.. yes..yes."

Immediately she's sobbing buckets again.

"Why don't you go to wash up a little bit. I'll go talk to Chris okay?"

After a slight nod, she reaches for a tissue to blow her nose. Standing up, I walk down the hall to his room where I knock on the door to alert him that someone is here. I don't wait for an answer before stepping inside. Getting down on my hands and knees, I crawl over to the bed, laying flat on my belly when I reach the edge so I can see him.

"Hi Chris. It's Damon. Do you want to come out from under there and tell me what's wrong? Your mommy is very worried about you."

"Damon?"

"Yes, it's me buddy. Come here."

I extend my arm hoping he'll latch onto it. Although hesitant, after a long minute or two, he finally takes a hold. I shimmy backwards on my belly so I don't hurt him when I pull him out. Once out from under the bed, I sit on the floor, patting the carpet beside me. He's so smart, he immediately sits down in front of me, legs crossed just like mine.

"I want to go home," he whines, rubbing his eyes with his little fists. When he looks at me, I gesture for him to have a seat on my lap. I take a moment to give him a hug and drop a kiss to the crown of his head.

"I know you're just a little boy and that this is so hard for you to understand. This is your home now and Elena is your mommy. Both your mommy and me care about you a lot."

Although I can't begin to imagine what's going on inside that little head of his, I hold him close, rocking him in my arms. Soon I hear his breathing even out, signaling sleep. Very carefully, I get up, lay him on his bed and cover him up. After fingering the hair out of his face, I stoop over to give him another kiss. Taking a deep breath, I turn on the night light then carefully walk out of his room, pulling the door closed softly.

Once I get back into the living room, Elena, now wearing a bathrobe, is sitting on the couch, her face in her hands. Exhausted myself, I walk over to her and drop onto the couch beside her, resting my head against the back of the couch. Using my hand, I press it onto her thigh, caressing and squeezing it gently.

"He's sleeping."

"I'm such a failure. Did I do the right thing?" she asks, tears falling anew.

"You're not a failure, Elena. He's just a little boy, you have to give him time to adjust. Everything he's ever known is different suddenly. I know I've brought it up before but I really think you should look into some counseling for him, maybe for both of you."

"I can't afford that in addition to day care. I have to work to pay my rent."

"Has Ric ever brought up suing Happy Dale? Perhaps you could get enough money so you wouldn't have to work. Hell, they'd probably settle with you out of court. It's a disaster there right now. The city has taken control of the place. Carol and Richard Lockwood and April are all in jail awaiting trial. Ric told me the judge considers them a flight risk and as such, he denied their bail requests.

The FBI is going over their books with a fine tooth comb. Selling babies across state lines is a federal offense. That's why the FBI is involved. Elijah has a few contacts at the police station. They're going through all of the cold case files related to the girls that died there. The three of them and their predecessors may be charged with more counts of murder."

"I never thought of filing suit against the place but that's a good idea. I'll have to talk to him. But until then, I need to work. All I do is take, take, take from you and I can't do that anymore. I need to learn to stand on my own two feet plus you're still on the mend yourself."

"I'm fine, Elena. And it's not all take, take, take. I love you and I want to help."

Standing up, I reach for my jacket, slipping it back on. Standing up herself, I grab ahold of her when she starts to sway. Obviously exhausted, I take her hand and lead her into the bedroom.

"Do you want to stay?" she asks, rubbing her eyes.

"Not tonight. You need to get some sleep and so do I. I doubt that either of us would sleep if I stayed," I whisper, giving her a wink. After helping her get her pajamas on and tucked under the covers, I press a kiss to her lips. I whisper goodbye before walking out of the bedroom. I take a moment to check in on Chris, smiling when I see that he's sound asleep, his little stuffed bear in his arms. I walk home slowly, remembering a life once lived.

Once I get in the house, I do a double take when I see dad kissing Liz. Quickly they pull apart, my dad flushing red.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. Um, I'm just going to go to bed. Carry on," I add, winking at my dad before turning away and jogging up the stairs.

* * *

Over the course of the next few weeks, I had to run over to Elena's several times to help her deal with a temper tantrum throwing little boy. Either he was angry or sullen and withdrawn. I think I finally have talked Elena into taking the two of them for counseling. With Chris in her life now, Elena has focused all of her attention on him. As much as I do understand, I have to admit that I'm feeling a little neglected. I really am starting to care for her little boy a lot but I'm afraid that I'm setting myself up for a fall. Especially since Elena mentioned that Jeremy has brought up the idea of relocating so that she would be closer to him and Lexie.

With all of this weighing heavily, I have started to distance myself somewhat. While the thought of letting her go kills me, somehow I manage to keep it inside. She needs to learn how to take care of him for herself when he acts up. I won't always be there for her, especially if she follows through on Jeremy's suggestion. I love Elena, more than I ever thought possible.

"Damon?"

"Huh?"

"Where were you?"

"I'm just thinking about Elena and Chris. Her brother wants her to move. I don't want to lose her, dad."

"I don't doubt that she loves you, Damon. She's not going to go anywhere."

"How can you be so sure?" I ask, not taking my eye off of the road. Anna is sleeping in the backseat. We're taking her to the 'Dallas World Aquarium'. There are all kinds of exhibits. They're not limited to just fish. There are animals and birds. I'm certain Anna will love it. Happy Dale seemed like a completely different place when we picked her up today.

The staff were friendly and helpful. Anna was outside playing with a balloon and a caregiver when dad and I found her. The young aide that she was with gathered her things for us. When Anna saw me, she ran into my arms. I felt pure joy when she did that. When she was done giving me sloppy kisses, she ran to dad to give him some of the same. I'll never forget the smile on dad's face when she squeezed his lips together with her little hands before kissing him.

When we get to the aquarium, we first go to the restaurant to get something to eat. Anna loves her chicken nuggets. Dad and I have cheeseburgers. I can't help but smile when I look at her with ketchup all over her little hands and face. Picking her up carefully, I take her into the bathroom to get her washed up. When we're done with that chore, she tells me she needs to go potty.

I take her into one of the stalls, help her onto the toilet, then step out of the stall to give her a little privacy. When she tells me she's done, I open the stall door and lead her over to the sink, picking her up so we can wash our hands. As soon as we finish, we go back to the table.

"Where's Ewena?" she asks, looking up at me.

"Um, she's at home with her little boy."

That seems to satisfy her because she doesn't ask again. Once we rejoin dad, we go through all the exhibits and just enjoy spending the day together. I enjoy spending time with both of them. I can put all my troubles on the back burner for a few hours at least. We'll have to leave pretty soon because dad has a date with Liz tonight. I'm happy for him yet I feel a bit of melancholy too when I think of my mom. I shouldn't, I know that. She's been dead for several years already. He's not doing anything wrong but whatever reason, the feelings are there. That said, I do want him to be happy. If Liz fulfills that need whether for a little while or for the long run, I'm glad he's found someone. He is only fifty two years old after all. He's still a relatively young man. It wasn't very realistic to think he'd never be with another woman.

As we stroll through the last exhibit, Anna is asleep in my arms. Her mouth is agape with her little head lying on my shoulder. She's so precious. I'm going to have to make a point of spending time with her more regularly. Now that the Happy Dale management issue has been resolved, I'm free to go there whenever I choose. I have been told that I may have to testify when the case goes to trial. I never saw who kidnapped me. I can only say what happened leading up to that moment. I still have no recall of those events. After dropping Anna off, promising that I'll see her very soon, dad and I go home. Once inside, the two of us drop onto the couch. Tired, I throw my head back and close my eyes. Feeling his hand giving my knee a squeeze, I open my eyes.

"You seem troubled?"

"You could always see right through me," I utter, throwing my forearm over my eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" After taking a deep shuddering breath, I raise my arm, turning my eyes to his.

"I love both of them dad. But a part of me feels like I'm betraying those memories of what I once had."

"Damon? You can't think like that."

"Easy for you to say," I snap, immediately regretting lashing out at him.

"Son, I only want to help you."

"I know that dad. But isn't it time for you to get ready to go to Liz's house?" Immediately he picks up on the fact that I don't want to talk about it any longer. Nodding, he gets up and starts to walk off, stopping when he gets to the threshold of the living room.

"We're not done talking about this, Damon."

When our eyes meet, I nod slightly, knowing that he'll do everything in his power to keep me from spiraling again. I know I'm lucky to have my dad in my corner but sometimes I just need to be left alone. I hear him exhale sharply before turning his back to me and disappearing up the stairs.

* * *

"Damon, could you put Chris down for bed?" Elena asks when she picks up her phone to speak to whomever is calling her.

"Sure. You ready, Chris?"

Offering him my hand, I smile when he takes it. With out hands clasped together, I tell him that I'll read him a story after he gets his pajamas on. When we get to his room, he quickly peels his clothes off and slips into his jammies. He runs across the hall to the bathroom before dashing back into his room, stopping in front of his book shelf. He pulls out a book and hands it to me before pulling back the covers and crawling in.

Glancing at the book, I see it's ' _The Big - Little Dinosaur'_ by Diane Geis. I Inhale sharply, realizing that I've read this book before. Closing my eyes, I try to get my bearings for a moment, opening them up when I feel Chris giving my arm a light jostle. Smiling at him, I open it up, reading each page with as much vigor as I can. After finishing up, I stand up, put the book back on the shelf and turn on his nightlight. Stooping over, I give him a light kiss when he surprises me by wrapping his little arms around my neck, squeezing as hard as he can.

"Goodnight Chris," I whisper, hugging him back. I give him one last look before turning off the ceiling light and stepping outside of his room, pulling the door closed. Exhaling a sharp breath, I collapse against his door, dropping my face in my hands. Not wanting Elena to see me like this, I sit here a long time before finally getting up to walk downstairs. Finding that she's still on the phone, I grab my jacket and walk over to her. Pointing to the door, I blow her a kiss and get the hell out of her house.

Running as fast as I can down the block, I fly into my house, slamming the door shut behind me, not stopping till I get to the safety of my room. Locking the door behind me, I go into my closet. Pulling the clothes apart, I breathe a sigh of relief when I see my bottle sitting there. Grabbing onto it, I walk over to my dresser and pull the picture out like I often do. Pressing it against my chest, I stumble over to the bedside, dropping down onto it. Setting the picture on my bedside stand, I stare at it as I raise the bottle to my lips, stopping only when I hear pounding on my bedroom door.

Throwing my head back, I screw the top back on and slide it under my pillow. Sighing heavily, I get up to answer the door, meeting my dad's eyes when I pull it open. Stepping back, I start to pace back and forth in my room, jumping when dad puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Talk to me, Damon."

"I have to get out of here, dad. I can't forget."

"Of course you can't."

"Can I go home for a few days? Please dad," I beg him, my voice trembling.

"Yes, you can go home. I'll call the realtor first thing in the morning to tell them to get it ready for you. Do you want me to come along?"

"I love you dad, but I need to be alone."

"As long as you promise me that you'll stay away from the bottle?"

Nodding, I walk over to my bed, pull it out from under my pillow and hand it to him. He inhales sharply, taking it from my hands. Walking into the bathroom, I watch as he pours it down the sink. I'm almost hyperventilating by the time he drops the empty bottle into the waste basket. Just as I'm about to collapse, he catches me lowering me gently to the floor, dropping along with me. Then he pulls me into his arms, his hand caressing my back as he tries to lift the weight I carry just as he always has.

* * *

 _Damon is hurting. Answers forthcoming._

 _Thank you so much, Eva. I love you._

 _My dad used to read that same storybook to me when I was little._

 _Thanks so much to all of you who did take the time to review. I would love to reach the 200 review mark with this chapter.. They are powerful motivation to continue to write._

 _Chapter title: 'St. Elmo's Fire' by John Parr_

 _I finished the epilogue to 'Nothing Left to Fear' yesterday.. Yeah! However, I won't start posting it right away. Although we are closing in on the end of this one, 'Dig' and 'Angels Fall' still have a lot left to unfold. Please give them a look as well._

 _I'm enjoying 'The Doppelganger Diaries' by a-and-afan413._

 _Please remember to click the * **review** * button._

 _As always, stay safe and have a lovely day. We'll see you next week._

* * *

Here is a little peek at ' **Nothing Left to Fear** '

"Dr. Gilbert, there's a patient in exam room four who's in need of a few sutures I think," Ruthie, one of the RN's says to me as soon as I step back into the emergency room after my lunch break. After she hands me his chart, I take a breath and walk into the exam room. Immediately I'm mesmerized by the unworldly hue of his blue eyes.

"Mr. Salvatore, I'm Dr. Gilbert. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Um.. Yeah, I was riding my bike. A kid stepped right in my path. I had to swerve sharply so I wouldn't hit the boy. And I took a tumble right onto some broken glass," he explains, raising his left arm for me to see. He has lacerations on his hand and forearm.

As soon as I put on a pair of gloves, I take his arm to examine it more closely, immediately feelings pops and crackles along my nerve pathways. When our eyes meet, I feel a bit of a shiver, take a breath and look at the damage to his arm.

"We're going to have to clean it up a bit first. We need to get all of the gravel, dirt and grime out of the wounds before I stitch you up."

"I kind of thought that I'd need some stitches but I was hoping that I was wrong," he says, laughing a little inappropriately.

"Well, no one likes being on the receiving end of sutures, Mr. Salvatore."

"Tell me about it," he says, grimacing when he drops his eyes to the wounds.

Once I get a basin, I fill it with warm water, instructing him to put his arm in it to soak for a little while.

"We'll irrigate it with some warm saline solution before I close the wound. And also, do you know how long it's been since you had a Tetanus shot?"

"I honestly don't remember."

"You'll need one if it's been more than ten years."

"I'm sure it's been at least that long."

"I'll be back in a little while. Do you need something for pain?"

"Maybe some Ibuprofen?"

"Sure. I'll have my nurse bring you something and that Tetanus shot."

After sharing a smile with him, I step out of the room, slamming my palm against my chest to calm my chaotically thrumming heart.


	22. Turn Loose the Mermaids

Owen:

I took Damon to the airport this morning. I'm really worried about him. Despite everything, I know he's not a liar so while I want to trust him about staying away from alcohol, I'm still going to ask my twin sister, Olivia, to check in on him now and then. She and her husband only live a few miles away from my house. Olivia and Jim were in the Caribbean when Damon and I were in Florida for the auction. Their children sent them on a cruise for their twenty fifth wedding anniversary. After stepping into the building, I walk directly to Stefan's office to tell him what's going on.

"Dad? Did you need something?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I'll be filling in for your brother for several days. He needed to get away, Stefan."

"Why? What happened?" he asks, clearly concerned.

"He has strong feelings for both Elena and her son. As you can imagine, he feels guilty."

"Dad, you know I love him but he needs to get over it."

"Stefan, you can't know what he's going through unless you live through it. I'm grateful that I never had to experience what he has in his young life. I'm very worried about him but he needed to do this. The least I could do was give him a place to run to."

"I know you're right. He really seemed to perk up after meeting Elena. But sadly, it seems it was all a façade?"

"No Stefan, it wasn't, he's in love with her and he loves her boy. Hence the guilt."

Then it's as if a light goes on for Stefan because a look dawns on his face.

"I understand now. Where did he go and how can we help him?"

"He went home to Florida. He's staying at the house for a few days. He told me he'd call me when he arrived. I think giving him some space to work things out is exactly what he needs now. I talked to Olivia. She's going to keep an eye on him."

"He'll have to behave with Aunt Liv on his tail," Stefan laughs.

"Indeed," I chuckle.

"Do you want to have lunch with me?"

"No Stefan. I'm meeting Liz for lunch," I inform him, stepping out his office to go into Damon's to take care of payroll among other things.

* * *

"I just want to help him Liz. He's only twenty six and he's lived through enough heartache to last a lifetime."

"I know. It's really tragic what happened to him. I can't say that I'd be any better if I were in his shoes," she says, taking my hand in hers. When I look at our enjoined hands, I smile then lean forward to press a kiss to her lips.

"Thank you for being so understanding."

"Of course, Owen. Caroline cares a lot about Damon too. She's told me that she worries about him. But how is Elena doing?"

"She hired her son's old nanny to babysit for her so she could work. Damon gave her several days off to help get Chris settled. I believe he told her that he was leaving for awhile but I don't think that he told her where he'd be."

"Caroline is really fond of her too. I hope things work out for the two or shall I say three of them."

"Me too, Liz. Me too," I whisper, giving her hand a squeeze.

* * *

Damon:

Strolling along the beach, I pick up a rock and toss it into the ocean then continue on my way. It's a cloudy day. It almost looks like it could storm but I love the smell of the salty sea air. Honestly, I don't care if a wave crashes onto the beach and pulls me out to the sea. I'm so in love with Elena but I feel so broken too. With everything that has fallen on her lap, she doesn't need to have to deal with my problems as well. Kicking the sand, I don't even notice my aunt coming towards me till I hear my name. When I look up, she's still several yards away from me, her yellow lab in tow. She lets go of his leash when he starts barking at me.

"Hey Yeller," I greet him when he runs towards me. Leaping up, he knocks me over, proceeding to lick me to death. I can't help but laugh as he licks my face and my neck incessantly. I'm almost begging for Aunt Olivia to take his leash so I can stand up.

"What are you doing here?" I ask once I get to my feet.

"Your dad asked me to check up on you."

"I should've known."

"Now don't you be angry with your dad. He loves you and he's worried about you. You don't stop being a dad just because your child turns into an adult."

"I know that. I'm grateful to him for everything he's done, really I am. I just don't want to be a burden to him or anyone else anymore."

"Shame on you for thinking like that. You're not a burden. If you do something stupid, you'll leave a much bigger burden for him to bear. You of all people should understand that!" My eyes whip to hers when she says that to me.

"Please don't go there, aunt Liv."

Turning my eyes towards the choppy waters of the ocean, I just stare in awe at its beauty. The wind is blowing my hair in every direction but out of habit, I reach up and rake my hand through it.

"Oh you bet I'm going to go there young man," she warns, linking her arm with mine. Smiling tightly, I turn to look at her again and nod my acquiescence.

"Come on, take a walk with me."

Raising my other arm, I gesture for her to lead the way.

* * *

"Let's go inside."

Following my nod, she leads me into her house after our stroll along the beach.

"I see she found you," my uncle Jim says, extending his hand for me to shake.

"She sure did. It's like she's got this built in radar," I utter, shaking my head. I take a moment to look around the room a little bit. Nothing has really changed since the last time I was here.

"Where family is concerned, she absolutely does."

"How did you know where to look for me anyway?"

"I know that you like the ocean. When you weren't at home, I took a chance that you'd be at the beach. You always did love overcast days."

"It's true."

"How about you stay for supper?" Jim asks, giving my upper arm a pat.

"I'd like that."

"Good. Have a seat. The TV remote is there on the end table. Would you like a soda or a bottle of water?"

"Do you have diet Coke?"

"I do. I'll be right back." he tells me, walking out of the room.

"What would you like for supper?"

"Whatever you make is fine Aunt Liv. Don't go to any trouble for me."

"Oh believe me, I won't. Jim and I were going to grill some burgers. Does that sound okay to you?"

"Perfect," I start to say when uncle Jim walks back in and hands me a bottle of diet Coke. Liv smiles at me then turns around, looking back when I ask if she needs any help. Shaking her head no, she walks away, leaving Jim and I to watch the baseball game on TV. After we eat, I tell them both goodnight before leaving to walk home. Just as I reach the sidewalk, Jim runs out behind me.

"Come on," I'll give you a ride home. I don't want you walking when it's dark out. This city isn't crime free you know," he tells me, motioning for me to come back in the house for a few minutes. With a sigh, I turn around and follow him back in. Once he grabs his jacket and car keys, we walk to the garage and get in the car. Once he pulls into dad's driveway, I jump out and walk around to the driver's side to shake his hand.

"Don't make yourself so scarce," he admonishes me before rolling his window back up and pulling out of the driveway. Stepping into the house, I go straight to the bedroom, slip off my clothes, take a nice hot shower before going to bed. I'm asleep in no time, beautiful brown eyes filling my dreams.

* * *

Elena:

"Where is Damon?" Chris asks me, looking up from the floor where he's playing with his little cars.

"He had to go bye bye for a little while."

"I kind a miss him."

"I miss him too."

Forcing a smile onto my face, I join him on the floor to play with him for a little while. I've gotten a couple of texts from Damon since he left but they're short, lacking affection. I need to know what I did or what happened to make him pull away from me. I know I've put all my energy into my son but I'm certain he understands that. Needing some answers, I make up my mind that I'm going to try to talk to Owen. Looking at the clock, I see that it's almost eight pm so I gather up Chris's toys and put them in the toy box that Damon bought for him. Running my hand along the edge makes me miss him even more. Taking his hand, the two of us walk down the hall to the bathroom. I run a bubble bath, letting him crawl in. I pull the shower curtain across to give him a little privacy. Afraid that something could happen to him, I stay in the bathroom while he plays with his bath toys a little bit.

I let him play for quite some time before I pull back the curtain so I can wash his hair, after which he stands up to get out. As soon as he steps out, I wrap him in a big fluffy towel and help him into his jammies. Then we read a book before I kiss him goodnight and close his door. I think he's already asleep by the time I pull the door closed. Once I get to my bedroom, curiosity finally gets the best of me so I pick up my phone to call Owen. Damon has already been gone for almost a week.

"Hello?"

"Hi Owen. It's Elena."

"Hi... Do you need something?"

"I was just wondering if you've heard from Damon? I really miss him."

"I do too, Elena. Why don't you come over tomorrow so we can have a chat?"

"What aren't you telling me? Is there someone else?"

"No, no, of course not, Elena. He loves you. He's just going through some stuff right now. I'll tell you about it tomorrow."

"Okay. What time?"

"Why don't you bring Chris and come over for lunch. My friend Liz will be here. She can keep Chris occupied while you and I talk."

"All right. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Goodnight, Elena," he says, clicking off the phone. Sighing, I hang up the phone. It doesn't take long for my eyes to fill with tears. I miss him so much. I just wish I knew what was going on with him. Standing up, I walk into the bathroom to take a hot bath. Once I step in, I lay back in the tub, just enjoying the feeling of the hot water lapping against my body. I take long enough to wash my face and hair before getting out. After drying off, I slip into my pajamas and get into bed to read for a little while. When I find myself reading the same page for twenty minutes because my mind is on Damon, I close it and set it back on the bedside stand. Turning off the light, I slink down in bed, curl on my side and hug the pillow that Damon always uses when he's here. Breathing in the smell of him fills my senses allowing me to fall asleep.

* * *

"Come on in, Elena. Hello Chris."

"Hi Owen."

"This is my friend, Liz," he says, introducing us.

"Elena, it's good to meet you. Both Caroline and Owen have told me so much about you."

Although a little perplexed about how Caroline fits into this, I take the hand that she offers, shaking it.

"Caroline is my daughter," she reveals, smiling at me.

"Oh, it's nice to meet you too. This is my son, Christian. Chris can you say hi to Miss Liz?"

"Hi," he says softly, clutching my leg.

"Chris, do you want to come and play with me for a little while? Your mommy wants to talk to Damon's daddy."

"Okay."

After looking at me for reassurance and although a little hesitant, he takes her hand when she offers it. She gives me a smile then leads him into the living room. After watching him walk off, I turn my attention to Owen. The two of us go into the kitchen. Taking a moment to pour us each a cup of coffee, he hands one to me then sits down beside me.

"What is it, Owen? What's troubling him?"

"Damon has been through a lot in his life, Elena. There's so much that you don't know. Life hasn't been kind to him in a lot of ways. Sure he's brilliant and has earned a lot of money doing something that he loves but a lot has happened in the last year...," he begins, taking a sip of his coffee. He continues telling me all about Damon's childhood and young adulthood.

"If you'll excuse me for a minute, I'll be right back, I want to show you something," he says, then walks out of the kitchen. In a few moments, he's back, carrying a picture frame.

"This..., this is Damon's son and he died." he says sadly, handing the picture to me.

"What?" I utter, completely stunned. Taking it in hand, I run my fingers over his beautiful face. His little boy looks like he's maybe five or six years old. And he's nearly a carbon copy of his father with his dark messy hair and brilliant blue eyes.

"I had no idea. He never said anything to me," I blurt out. Now knowing what he lost, tears start to well in my eyes. Although still in shock, I take the tissue Owen offers, using it to dab my eyes.

"I'm sure he believed you had enough to deal with, Elena."

"I know this is a lot to ask but can you and Caroline's mom watch Chris so I can go to him?"

"You want to go to him?"

"Yes, I really do. I love him so much. I want to show him."

"Honestly, I think that would mean the world to him. Of course, Liz and I will take care of Chris."

"Thank you so much. I need to see about a plane ticket and pack a bag for myself and Chris. Um, can you keep him here? I'll get done faster if I go to the house alone."

"Absolutely," he says. When the two of us stand up, he pulls me into his arms to give me a hug. I quickly run to the living room to say goodbye to my son then practically gallop out of the door. Once I have bags packed, I run Chris's things back over to Owen.

"Chris, mommy wants to talk to you for a couple of minutes okay?" I smile when he looks up at me, his eyes so like my own. I pull a chair out beside him to help him color for a little bit.

"Mommy is going to go bye bye to see Damon. I hope to bring him home with me. Damon's daddy and Miss Liz are going to take care of you. You'll be safe, mommy is going to come back, I promise."

"You're going to go away?"

"Yes, baby."

"I wanna go too," he pouts, sticking out his lower lip.

"No sweetheart. The next time we go, you can come along too, okay? But this time mommy needs to go alone so I can help Damon."

"Chris, I know a little girl named Anna. Perhaps we can go play with her while mommy is gone. How does that sound?" Owen asks, taking the chair on the other side of him.

"I can play with a little girl?"

"Yes, sweetheart. Anna is a very nice little girl. I have to go now sweetheart. You be a good boy for Mr. Owen and Miss Liz."

He picks up his crayon to put the finishing touch on his masterpiece before tearing the page out. Handing it to me, he says, "This is for Damon."

"Damon will love this. Thank you. Give mommy a kiss."

Setting his crayon down, he slides out of his chair, wraps his little arms around my neck and squeezes hard. Closing my eyes, I realize how very lucky I am to have my little boy in my arms again. When he lets go, I give him one more kiss to the top of his head before standing and picking up my bag. Owen picks up his car keys and follows me outside. Looking back, I wave when I see Chris in Liz's arms standing at the door waving goodbye to us. After getting in the car, I roll down the window to give him one last wave before we drive to the airport. After he drops me off, I quickly check in and go to my gate. In no time, I'm boarding my plane. Once the plane starts taxiing toward the runway, I buckle up my seatbelts, my mind focusing on everything that Damon must be feeling right now.

* * *

 _Thank you so much, Eva. I love you, my sister. You're truly brilliant._

 _'Old Yeller' has to be the saddest of Disney movies but it's a classic and I love it._

 _And also, thank you all so much for all of the reviews. I appreciate them more than you know._

 _Chapter title: 'Turn Loose the Mermaids' by Nightwish_

 _Please have a look at 'Dig' and 'Angels Fall'. Both still have quite a bit left to unfold._

 _I did post the first chapter of 'Nothing Left to Fear'. I would love to hear your thoughts on it._

 _If you want a canon read, a valiant effort to fix what's broken with S7, try 'Dream A Little Dream of Me' by EldestSalvatore. It's very well done. He really does a stellar job of getting inside Damon's psyche._

 _Be safe and have a wonderful day. We'll see you again next weekend._


	23. Someone's Waiting for You

Because I only grabbed a couple of outfits that I put in a carry on bag, I don't need to stop at the baggage claim area. When I get close to the exit, I see a lady holding up a sign with my name on it. Curious, I walk over to her.

"I'm Elena Gilbert," I tell her, introducing myself.

"Hello Elena. My name is Olivia and I'm Damon's aunt and Owen's twin sister. He called, asking me to pick you up. I'm so glad to meet you."

"I didn't know that Owen had a twin?"

"Well, he's not one to brag," she teases with a chuckle with me cackling right along with her.

"Is that all you have?" she asks, pointing at my duffle bag.

"That's it."

"Let's go then. I'll take you over to Owen's house."

"How is he?"

"Melancholy. Damon has a huge heart. When his boy died, sadly, he never fully recovered."

"Would any of us really, though?"

"No, I don't believe so. Some people are just better at handling grief than others."

Nodding slightly, she gives me a hug then links her arm with mine to lead me to her car. I watch the scenery pass as she drives us to Owen's house. Once she parks the car in his driveway, the two of us get out. Since the door is locked, it seems obvious that he isn't here.

"I have a key," Olivia mentions, putting it in the lock and turning the knob. Stepping inside, I see what a beautiful house that Damon grew up in. Although we both look around just in case, he's nowhere to be found inside.

"He's probably at the beach. He's gone there to think since he's been old enough to leave the house by himself. Why don't you put your bag in the bedroom, then I'll drive over there?"

"Thank you for everything, Olivia. I really appreciate that you took time from your busy day to pick me up. Do you think I have time to freshen up a bit, maybe take a shower?"

"Absolutely. I'll make myself at home while you clean up. And as far as helping, I love my brother and I love my nephew. He may put up a brave face but he needs someone, you," she replies, pointing in the direction of the bedroom.

"The second door on the left is his room." Smiling, I nod, pick up my bag and carry it to the room.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Olivia asks me when I finally come out of Damon's bedroom with a change of clothes and my hair up in a messy bun.

"I am. You think he's at the beach?"

"I'd bet money on it," she laughs.

"We could walk, it's only about three blocks away."

"I'd like that."

"Let's go then," she says, gesturing for me to walk outside. She follows behind, turning around to lock the door. I wait for her at the end of the sidewalk. When she joins me, she points out some of the sights in the neighborhood and tells me a little bit about Damon when he was growing up. Before we know it, we're at the beach. There really aren't a lot of people out here today. The weather is partly cloudy and when the sun is obscured by the clouds, it feels chilly to me. We walk in the sand for quite a ways. I'm starting to get frustrated when I feel Olivia give my forearm a squeeze. Turning to face her, she points to a lone figure sitting in the sand, his back to us.

"There he is. I'm going to go. You and Damon are going to want to be alone tonight but I expect you to come over for supper tomorrow. I won't take no for an answer."

"Sounds great to me. Thank you so much," I tell her with as much sincerity as I can express. She pulls me into her arms and gives me a hug.

"Go take care of him. I'll call him in the morning about supper."

Nodding, I give her one more little hug then start to walk towards Damon. He's sitting there, his arms encircling his knees. I watch as he drops his head momentarily before raising it up again. When I get within a dozen feet of him, I just stop and stare at my beautiful yet broken man. Sucking in a deep yet quiet breath, I steel my spine and walk over to him, dropping down beside him in the sand. It takes a moment for him to finally raise his eyes and look at me.

"Elena?"

"Hi."

"I don't understand... how are you here?"

"I came for you. Your dad told me about Billy. I'm so, so sorry, Damon. Why didn't you say anything?"

"I...I...,"

"It's okay, Damon. You can talk to me."

"It... it hurts. I miss him so much."

"I wish you would've told me."

"You had enough on your plate. I love you and your son, Elena. Suddenly I had this overwhelming feeling that I was forgetting about him. I don't ever want to forget how much I loved being his dad. I miss him so much."

"I know you do. Can you tell me about him?" I ask, linking my arm with his. With my other hand, I raise it up to cup his cheek, caressing it softly.

"I was a senior in high school. Jessica was a year behind me. We always used protection but one time the condom broke and that's all it took. I cared about her but I wasn't in love," he explains, wringing his hands together.

"Anyway, I wanted to do right by her, especially after her parents all but disowned her, even kicking her out of their house. Dad let her stay with us as long as we stayed in separate bedrooms. How could I argue with that?"

"You couldn't. Your dad is really a good man," I mention, laying my head on his shoulder.

"He's the best. Anyway, as soon as I graduated, I got her a ring. I couldn't abandon her, not after what her parents did. I got a job after graduation. We rented a cheap one bedroom apartment. That way we had some privacy. Plus my dad was working at that time. Billy had us up all hours with his colic. I was always the one who would get up with him. She was just indifferent about everything."

He pauses a moment, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. When he raises his eyes to mine again, he continues. "It didn't take a rocket scientist to know she was cheating. She'd disappear for hours, coming home late. She didn't want me to touch her. Once Billy turned three, she finally had enough. I tried to talk her out of it for his sake. Despite her aloofness, he loved his mom. I had started to make good money selling games by then but that was meaningless to her. She threw the ring in my face, signed over her parental rights and took off for parts unknown. I have no idea what happened to her, where she is or even if she's still alive."

Stunned speechless, I just stare at him, giving his linked arm a gentle reassuring squeeze.

"I gave up the apartment and moved back in with dad. I worked from home so I could save up enough money to eventually buy a house for the two of us. Not long after she left, an opportunity arose in Texas. So I packed the two of us up and we moved. The two of us lived in the small apartment above the building for awhile till I started to make some really good money. When one of the big gaming companies bought a couple of my projects, suddenly, I had all this money. It was only after that, that I bought the house. If I had to do it over again though, I would've stayed in Florida. I really love it here."

"I can see why. It's gorgeous. Your aunt said that you have always come here to think."

"How did you meet her?"

"She was waiting for me at the airport. She told me that your dad called to have her meet me. And by the way, she wants us to come for supper tomorrow night."

"She's a great lady. I care about her a lot."

"I had no idea that your dad was a twin."

"They bear some resemblances but not a lot. They're fraternal twins obviously."

"Do you to tell me more about Billy or do you want to take a break?"

"No, I want to tell you about him." Reaching into his back pocket, he pulls his wallet out. Unfolding it, he grabs a picture and hands it to me.

"Damon, he's so perfect. He could be your doppelganger," I utter, amazed at the resemblance. Handing it back to him, he clutches it to his chest for a few moments before raising his eyes to mine again.

"Dad has a picture of him and me at that age. We were almost identical," he says, smiling as he runs his finger over his son's face.

"That doesn't surprise me at all." After giving me a sad smile, he continues.

"I signed him up for this kids group after school. They had a fund raiser so they could go to one of the state parks and rent a boat. He was so excited. I donated money to help pay for it. In hindsight, I wish I hadn't because my donation gave them what they needed to rent the boats. They all had life jackets on. Billy too but somehow he fell in. I don't know if he took off his life jacket or what. He wasn't wearing it when his body was pulled from the water. They tried to rescue him but the water was so murky that day, they couldn't find him," he whispers, reaching up wipe his now wet eyes. Pausing for several moments, he drops his eyes closed. I hear him suck in a deep shuddering breath before he continues.

"Apparently he caught his leg on some debris in the water and was unable to free himself in time."

That's all it takes for the dam to break because he's all out sobbing. His body is shaking so hard and his breath is coming in spurts. Pulling my arm out from under his, I wrap both of my arms around him, holding him to me. My own tears are falling just as hard. Knowing he needs my embrace, I just hold on and let him cry it out.

"I wish I could turn back time for you, Damon." He looks up at me, those soulful blue eyes, red and glistening and boring into mine. He takes a few deep breaths as he tries to get compose himself.

"It took them two days to find his body and although realistically I knew he was dead, I still held onto that glimmer of hope till they found him, confirming the worst. That was the worst day of my life. I wish it could have been me that died," he whispers, dropping his head into his hands. Suddenly the wind starts blowing. When I look up, the sky is dark and foreboding while at the same time, I feel a few drops begin to hit my skin.

"We should go. It looks like it's going to storm," he says before I have a chance to. Standing up, he offers me his hand. The two of us walk hand in hand albeit quickly, back to his house. After he opens the door, we go inside, both of us collapsing on the sofa. Wrapping me in his arms, he drops a kiss to the top of my head.

"I'm so glad you're here."

"There's no where else I'd rather be right now," I tell him, raising up to kiss what's left of his tears away. First I kiss his right eye and then his left and then his cheeks. When I get to his lips, I raise my eyes, meeting his before slowly pressing our lips together. He pulls me onto his lap before cupping my cheeks with his hands so he can tilt my face just the way he wants it. Using my tongue, I run it along the seam of his lips till he opens up and lets me in. Our tongues dance like Astaire and Rogers. When we pull apart, we're both panting with desire.

Standing up, he takes both my hands, walking backwards till we're at the threshold of his bedroom door. He pauses to give me a peck on the lips before pulling me inside. After what feels like hours, we finally reach the bedside. Deciding to be bold, I grasp the hem of his tee shirt and pull it over his head. Immediately I lay my palms flush against his bare chest. Immediately I feel the crackles of electricity surge through my hands and into my body. With a little smirk of my own, I drop my hands to his waist line and undo the button of his cargo shorts, letting them fall to the floor. Next I press my palm against his six pack, sliding it under the elastic of his boxers only stopping when I wrap my needy fingers around his now erect length. And oh what a pretty length it is. A impatient groan escapes his mouth as I work my hand along the silky steel of his erection. Wanting his boxers out of the way, I let go and pull them down his legs, allowing him to step out of his clothes.

After giving him a lascivious wink, I take him in my mouth. Although it's full of him, I can't help but try to smile when he latches onto the bedpost to keep himself upright. Using my tongue to tease the slit, I use my hand to cup his scrotum, massaging it in tune with what my tongue is doing. His moans and grunts only spur me to work harder but it's when he winds his fingers into my hair that I really go all out, licking and sucking and bobbing with my head. In short order, I feel his release bathe the back of my throat as I swallow all that he has to give me. As soon as I let go, he collapses onto the bed.

"I'm completely boneless," he whispers, raising his head slightly to look at me. Extending his hand, I take a hold and stand up.

"You like that?" I ask, seductively waggling my eyebrows.

"You have no idea," he says, his voice breathy. Crawling onto the bed, I lay beside him. When he can feel his body again, he rolls onto his side, cups the back of my neck, splaying his fingers in my hair.

"You're wearing entirely too many clothes."

"Why don't you fix that for me?"

"Oh honey, I intend to." This time it's him who raises his eyebrows. Getting to his knees, he helps me to sit up allowing him to pull my own tee shirt off. Since I wore no bra, he goes to my shorts, undoing the snap and pulling them down my legs. Once I'm bare before him, he tells me to move up towards the head of the bed and lay on my back. As soon as I comply, he positions himself on his belly, putting on of my legs over each shoulder. Although I know what he's going to do, I still jump when I feel the first lap of his tongue against my already drenched lady parts. He laps at my little bundle of nerves till I'm writhing with abandon. Using his teeth, he gives it a little bite then starts to lap the length of me. It's when he plunges his tongue inside of me that a very needy moan leaves my lips.

"Please Damon," I ask, wantonly grinding my core against his roaming mouth. His growth of stubble enhances my pleasure immensely. Letting go of one leg, he brings it underneath my leg. I practically fly off the mattress when he plunges two fingers inside of me while once again capturing my clit between his teeth. Working me into a frenzy with his mouth and his fingers send, I start to convulse as his name leaves my lips with reverence. My body is jerking and convulsing while he helps me ride it out. Once I finally stop trembling, he slithers up my body, taking a nipple in his mouth while working the other one till it's erect with his hands.

"I need you inside of me," I breathe, my bosom heaving with desire. He lets go of my breast, tugging it with his lips till it plops out of his mouth. Raising up, he captures me lips in mind numbing kiss while pushing inside of me. With our lips still fused, he wiggles hips. As soon as he lets go, a shameless moan rips from my throat when I see his eyes, wild and burning hot with lust. I know he sees the same in my eyes when he slams his lips against mine once more. Although inside of me, he has yet to move. Taking a second, he fingers the damp hair from my forehead, dropping another tender kiss before he starts to move. It feels like heaven when he's inside of me. Push, pull, fast and slow, my man knows how to please a woman. Wrapping my legs around his hips, I grab onto the curve of his ass with my hands, using them to pull him deeper inside. When his length hits that spot, I fly over the edge, screaming his name as I come spectacularly. Hot sparks flash behind my eyelids as I fly across a glimmering sky of blinding white light. Damon continues to drive into me with the strength of Atlas. Just as I'm about to fall back to earth, he sends rocketing again, this time he flies with me, his body quivering as if a lightning bolt struck his body. My name escapes his mouth with the reverence one would whisper to a deity.

Several long minutes later, he raises his head. He plants a kiss on my lips. Just as he starts to roll off of me, I hang on to him. I lift my head, pressing my lips to his ear. "Just lay here. I want you to stay inside of me for a little while yet." His eyes widen when he looks at me. A smile plays at his lips before he drops his head, laying on it over my heart. I caress his back with one hand while gently rubbing his scalp with the fingertips of my other hand. It doesn't take long for his breathing to even out, signaling sleep. I take a moment to kiss the crown of his head. When I glance down at this beautiful man asleep in my arms, I can't help but smile. Completely content, I close my own eyes and fall asleep myself.

* * *

Damon:

"Damon, Elena, come on in," Aunt Olivia greets us, stepping aside so we can go inside.

"Well Damon, judging by that smile on your face, I would say Elena is just what the doctor ordered," she says, raising her eyebrows at me teasingly.

"Are you going to introduce me to your lady friend?" Uncle Jim asks, stepping into the room with his 'kiss the cook' apron on.

"Uncle Jim, this is Elena Gilbert. Elena, my uncle Jim."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Mr., um I don't know your last name," Elena says, blush a deep red color.

"Jackson. But please call me Jim," he says, shaking her hand vigorously.

"You have a lovely house," Elena mentions, looking around.

"Jim has got the grill stoked up in the back. Why don't you two go outside with him while I get some drinks. What would you like, Elena?"

"Um, whatever you have is fine."

"I have ice tea and lemonade. Which do you prefer?"

"Lemonade please. I don't really like tea."

"A girl after my own heart," Jim laughs. "I hate ice tea but Livie likes it so what's a guy to do?"

"I'll take lemonade too, Aunt Liv."

"Come with me young lady," Jim says, linking his arm with Elena's. He teasingly raises his brows to me before leading her outside.

"I'll help you with the drinks since your husband absconded with my girl," I laugh, following aunt Olivia into the kitchen. She reaches into the cupboard to grab some glasses. She sets them on a tray before opening the refrigerator and pulling out a pitcher with each hand. Handing me the lemonade, I fill three glasses while she fills her glass with tea. After she puts them back in the fridge, she leans against the counter and crosses her arms over her chest.

"How are you really, Damon?" she asks, her eyes focusing intently on me.

"Lighter, lighter with her here with me. I'm in love with her," I admit, closing my eyes for a moment. When I open them, she's right in front of me.

"I'm happy for you," she whispers, raising up to kiss my cheek.

"Now, let's go get something to eat," she says, giving me a wink. Laughing, I pick up the tray of drinks and follow her outside.

* * *

Elena and I walk through the airport to the exit, looking around for my dad. Finally I hear my name causing me to look up. Dad, Liz and Chris are waiting for us. Dad lets go of Chris's hand so he can run into Elena's arms.

"Mommy," he squeals when she stoops down to wrap him in her arms.

"Hi baby. I told you mommy would come home. See I brought Damon back to us," she tells him, her eyes on mine. When he raises his arms up, I lift him into mine, dropping a kiss to the top of his head. Just as I lean in to give Elena a kiss, dad and Liz reach us. Shifting Chris to one arm, I use the other one to wrap around my dad, whispering thank you and that I love him in his ear.

Stepping back, he nods knowingly before taking a hold of Liz's hand.

"How are you, Damon?" she asks, her sincerity obvious to me.

"I'm better, thanks Liz. Thank you both for watching Chris and for everything you've done for me, for us. I can't even begin to thank you."

"I love you, son" he tells me, his voice full of emotion and his eyes boring in on mine like a laser beam.

After I put Chris down so Elena can tie his shoe, I throw my arms around him, hugging him tightly, not caring who sees me. Stepping back, I nod at him then turn to look for Elena. As soon as she's done tying his shoe, she takes his hand, walking alongside Liz. Dad and I follow behind as we make our way to the parking lot. He drops us off at Elena's house, telling me he's going to spend the evening with Liz. I wave as he drives off.

"Your dad seems really happy with her," Elena remarks, unlocking the door of her house.

"He does. But I don't want him to go if that makes any sense? I like having him with me. Maybe that makes me seem childish but I wouldn't have survived the last year and half had he not been here."

"You're so lucky to have him."

"I really am," I tell her, holding a sleeping Chris in my arms. Once she gets it unlocked, she holds it open so I can carry Chris into his bedroom. I take off his shoes and cover him up with a light blanket that's laying at the foot of his bed. Quietly I pull the door closed then go into the living room to join Elena on the couch.

"It feels good to be home but I really loved Florida," she says, laying her head on my shoulder.

"I love it there too."

"Your aunt and uncle are a hoot," she laughs.

"My dad has always been more stoic but he does have a good sense of humor. He and Olivia are a lot alike in some ways and polar opposites in others," I add.

"Any other twins in your family?"

"I don't know honestly." We sit there in silence for quite awhile. Soon I can feel that she's fallen asleep. Her respirations are regular and even. I drop a kiss to her crown then drop my head against the back of the couch, letting my own eyes fall shut. Just as I'm about to lapse into dreamland myself, I whisper, 'I'm going to marry you someday, Elena Gilbert." With a smile on my face, I close my eyes and join her in slumber.

* * *

 _Thank you so much Eva. I love you very much. Your brilliance never ceases to astound me._

 _And a huge thanks to all of you as well. I appreciate the reviews so, so much._

 _Chapter title: 'Someone's Waiting for You' from the Disney Cartoon movie, 'The Rescuers'._

 _I did post the second chapter of 'Nothing Left to Fear' last week. I updated 'Angels Fall' on Thursday and 'Dig' on Friday._

 _Please remember to click that *review* button. They really mean so much._

 _Stay safe and have a wonderful day and week ahead. Thank you all. We'll see you next time._


	24. I Believe in Happy Endings

After parking the car, Elena and I get out so we can get Chris and Anna out of their car seats. Taking a deep breath, I extend one hand to Anna and the other to Elena. She in turn takes Chris by the hand. Using her eyes, she gestures for me to lead the way. We walk down the path through all the different sizes, shapes and colors of granite till we reach the somber place that Billy lies. There's a big Oak tree nearby casting its shadow over the stone. It never fails, every time I come to see him, I feel like a piece of my heart is being ripped out all over again. Even though I close my eyes, I can still feel the moisture prick at the inner corners. I free my hands and walk the last couple of steps before kneeling down in front of the monument. With a shaky hand, I run my fingers along the scroll work of his name till I reach his likeness carved into the stone. I finger his beautiful face, so happy and full of life in the picture.

"Hi Billy. It's daddy. I brought some people for you to meet. When I turn my eyes to look at Elena, she walks forward, Anna in one hand, Chris in the other.

"I want you to meet Elena, I married her Billy. I love her so much. These two are your brother and sister, Chris and Anna."

Elena and I got married on the beach in Florida. First the two of us flew in to look for homes, one large enough that I could run my business out of it. On the spur of the moment, we decided that's where we wanted to be married. We picked a date, made the arrangements and just did it. It was small and intimate with only our family and closest friends. Jeremy and Lexie flew in from Colorado. Elijah, Eva, Ric, Jenna and even Mikael joined us in Florida for our special day. Of course, Aunt Olivia and Uncle Jim were there to celebrate with us too.

Dad stood up for me while Caroline was the maid of honor for Elena. Afterwards, we had rented a hall to have a small get together. It was everything I dreamed of as it was for my beautiful bride. We both fell in love with a large beach front home, not far from dad's house. The movers have already transported most of our things there. I needed to see my son again before we pulled up stakes completely. I've already told my wife that I'm going to have to come back here from time to time to see him. I suppose I could bring him here with us but somehow it seems wrong to exhume his grave. I don't know? When I feel a nudge, I'm snapped out of my reverie.

Facing the kids, I ask, "Can you say hi to Billy?"

"Hi Billy," Anna says, stepping beside me. Taking her hand in mine, I let her touch his face. She holds her hand there for a few moments before turning around and wrapping her little arms around my neck, giving me a hug. Smiling, I wrap one arm around her, holding her close.

"Hi Billy, it's Elena. This is Chris," she says, using her fingertips to caress his face that's forever embedded in the smooth granite of the tombstone. Chris gives her an uneasy look. After she tells him that it's okay, he touches the stone too, whispering hi to my boy. When Anna and Chris start to get a little restless, Elena takes them back to the car so I can spend a few moments alone with my son.

"Billy, daddy misses you so much. I hope you found Grandma when you arrived." Raising my eyes upward, I see how beautiful the sky is today, hardly a cloud in sight. Feeling melancholy as always, I smile sadly before whispering, "Please mom, watch over him for me till the day comes for me to be with him again."

Using my hand, I support myself when I lean forward to press a kiss to his forever young little face. After telling him, I'll be back to see him soon, I stand up, run my hand along the top of his monument one more time before walking back to the car.

"Daddy," Anna screams, running into my arms when she sees me. Picking her up, I throw her in the air and hug her tightly when she comes down. Since Elena and I both loved this little girl so much, we decided to look into adopting her. Things have changed so much at Happy Dale. The man that killed Nik turned state's evidence against the Lockwood's and April in exchange for life in prison rather than the death penalty. The FBI and the state investigators have brought other charges against the Happy Dale board of directors. The state took over management. It's really a nice place now. Many of the kids trapped in there by corrupt judges and neglectful parents have been given their freedom. Once we expressed an interest in adopting Anna, the new managers went above and beyond to facilitate the process.

After giving her a kiss on the cheek, I secure her in the car seat before jumping behind the wheel of the car. Just as I'm to back out of the parking area, dad's car pulls alongside mine. Turning off the ignition, I jump out to talk to dad and Liz. Apparently dad and I are on the same wavelength today.

Walking towards them, I press a kiss to Liz's cheek. She and dad are engaged. A part of me is so happy for him but a little part of me remembers my mom and how happy they were together.

"You had the same idea, coming here today, I mean."

"We did. I wanted Liz to meet Billy."

"I asked mom to take care of him till I can be with him again."

"Damon, I'm sure mom was waiting to hold his hand the moment he got there."

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I turn away for a moment to collect my composure. Turning back to dad, I give him a hug, tell them goodbye and rejoin my family in the car. With a wave goodbye, I back out and pull onto the road, saddened that I have to leave my son behind once more.

* * *

"Congratulations dad," I tell him, raising my glass of sparkling grape juice to my lips.

"Thank you, son. I know this was kind of hard for you but as much as I love Liz, your mom will always be the love of my life."

"I'm sure she's happy for you," I whisper, raising my eyes upwards.

"Where's Stefan?"

"I think he's dancing with Liz."

Shortly thereafter the song ends and then Liz and Stefan join dad and me. Dad drapes a hand on either side of Liz's neck, pulling her close enough to give her a kiss. Taking a deep breath, I can't help but think of my mom but I'm so glad that dad is this happy. He's only in his early fifties and really there's no doubt in my mind that mom would want him to be happy and to live his life to the fullest.

"When are you going to join us in Florida, Stef?" I ask, patting him on the back.

"Once I finish school, I think we'll take the leap and come home too," he says, smiling when Caroline walks over and joins us.

"I just checked with the babysitter. Since she had your aunt Liv's glowing recommendation, I feel safe with her watching them. Thomas can be a handful," she says, speaking of her and Stefan's son.

"So can Chris and Anna," Elena remarks, walking up and linking her arm through mine. Dropping a kiss to her forehead, I take her hand and pull her onto the dance floor. Taking her in my arms, the two of sway to the music and it's as if we're the only two people in the universe as the music fills the room. Suddenly, I feel a tap on my shoulder. I stop to see who wants to cut in, I smile and shake my head when I see it's my uncle Jim who wants a turn with Elena. With a bow to Elena, I step back and immediately my aunt pulls me close to dance with her.

"So what do you think about your dad getting married again?"

"If I were to be honest, I'd say it's bittersweet."

"At least you're honest. Your mom was a great lady, Damon. No one will ever replace her. She was the only completely kind person that I ever met. You know as well as I do that she'd want him to be happy."

"I know that Aunt Liv. Even though she's been gone so long already, every once in awhile, I still get a few tears."

"And there's nothing wrong with that," she reassures me, giving me a hug just as the music ends. After pressing a kiss to her cheek, I go off in search of my beautiful wife. When I find her, I pull her outside in to the moonlight and dance with her under the stars.

* * *

"Are the kids asleep?"

"Yeah, they both fell asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillows." Dropping beside her on the couch, I lean over and press a kiss to her cheek.

"They usually do after spending the day with grandpa and grandma Salvatore. I'm going to have to ask Liz their secret," she laughs.

"I'd like to know that myself," I chuckle, lacing my fingers with hers.

"As long as they're asleep," she whispers, the moonlight illuminating her now lust-filled eyes.

"I like your train of thought." With a wink and a nod, I lean forward, capturing her lips in a heady kiss. Needing air, I pull back, sucking her lower lip and tugging it along with me. Standing up, I offer her my hand. As soon as she laces her fingers with mine, I lead her backwards into our bedroom. Just as we reach the bedside, she grabs onto my shirt tails, ripping it apart, sending buttons flying. I could care less. A needy moan escapes my lips when she starts to caress my bare chest with her soft hands. My knees weaken when she leans forward to suck my ear lobe into her mouth, while at the same time unclasping the button on my shorts.

"Yum," she whispers at the same time she latches on to my erection, squeezing firmly. As my mouth falls open, she eyes me with a lascivious wink just as she pushes me backwards onto the bed. I raise my head, watching as she begins a strip tease, finally revealing her candy apple red lacy lingerie. Speechless, I just stare, my mouth still agape. Somewhere along the way, I must've done something right because this goddess is mine. The heat of her stare does all kind of things to my already sky rocketing libido. My skin feels like it's fire and I know without doubt that the my blood surging through my veins is coloring my cheeks.

Her mouth hangs open as she shimmies out of her panties. Reaching around, she undoes her bra, slowly lowering the straps down her perfectly taut arms. Focusing on my cock, she licks her lips when she sees the pre cum, beading at my tip. She struts over to the bed. Hissing loudly, I arch my back when she grabs on, using her thumb to massage the head, her eyes never leaving mine. Already panting, I try to regain control but it's useless. As soon as she lays her perfectly shaped pout on the head, I fist my hands in her hair as she works me just to the edge of paradise before backing off. I groan in agony, having been denied my release. Raising her eyes at me seductively, she starts the torture all over again, using her tongue to trace the vein on the backside. After working me into a frenzy once more, again she lets go.

"Baby," I pout.

"Shhhh," she says, raising herself on her knees, straddling me. Reaching up, I palm her breasts with my hands, using my thumbs to tweak her already erect nipples.

"That feels so good, baby," she pants. Taking myself in hand, I stroke her wet hot core, paying special attention to her now engorged bundle of nerves. When our eyes meet, she slams her hips down, impaling herself on me.

"Hold on," I whisper, holding on to her as I sit upright in bed so our chests are flush and svelte legs are wrapped around my middle.

"I like it like this," she grunts, curving her hands around my shoulders and digging her nails in, hanging on for dear life when I start pounding into her. Ragged moans, labored breaths and flesh slapping against flesh are the only noises that fill our room as we both work hard, chasing our releases. Leaning forward, she rests her forehead against mine while emitting puffs of air against my lips, it's then I know that she's close. Tilting my hips, I slam against her clit with each rock of my hips, watching her face as she explodes, screaming my name as her release washes over her. I'll never get tired of watching her orgasm, she's so beautiful when she surrenders to the throes of passion. I thrust twice then three more times, grunting loudly as I succumb to the unrivaled pleasure that only Elena can give me. Once it moves through me, I fall back, pulling her along with me. We lay like this for several minutes. When my breathing calms, I raise my hand to finger her dampened hair from her forehead, dropping a kiss right there.

Although my own personal heaven is being inside of her, I pull out, shakily sitting at the bedside. Sucking in a deep breath, I stand up and walk into the bathroom to grab a warm washcloth so I can help her clean up. Taking one from the cupboard, I turn on the hot water. As I start moisten the cloth, I'm taken aback when I see the little stick sitting on the edge of the sink.

"El... Elen.. Elena, is this what I think it is?" I ask, our eyes meeting when I look at her from the bathroom door.

"Congratulations, daddy to be," she squeals, her smile as wide as I've ever seen it. My mouth drops open as happiness surges through every nerve ending in my body. Practically leaping to the bedside, I drop onto my knees. Carefully, I press my palm to her still flat belly. Completely speechless, I stare at her in awe, knowing I'm smiling like an idiot. When I finally find my voice, I press a kiss to her belly, whispering thank you over and over again to my lovely bride.

* * *

Completely giddy, I place my newborn son in my dad's waiting arms. My heart is bursting when I see the wide smile on my dad's face as my son squeezes dad's little finger with his tiny fist.

"Dad, Liz, I'd like you to meet our son, Andrew Owen Salvatore."

"He's perfect Elena," Liz says softly, caressing his downy black hair as he's safely ensconced in dad's arms.

"Mama," Anna squeaks, running over the bedside when Aunt Olivia and Uncle Jim come into the room. Chris runs in right behind Jim, not stopping till he's sitting on the foot of the bed. Smiling at my daughter, I lift her into my arms and deposit her beside her mother.

"Baby?" Anna asks her, pointing to her new brother.

"Oh Anna, he's such a pretty baby isn't he?" my aunt gushes, running her finger along the side of his face.

"Congratulations Damon," Uncle Jim remarks taking my hand in his, shaking it firmly. "Oh and you too, Elena," he teases, winking at her.

"Do you want to hold him?" Elena asks, joy exuding from every pore.

"Ah ha," she says, clapping. Dad turns to smile at her, carefully laying Trey in her arms. Elena has an arm wrapped around Anna, holding her against her side while using her left arm to stroke Trey's pudgy cheek.

"Hi baby," Anna gushes, completely enthralled. Chris crawls to the head of the bed, stopping once he's in front of Anna. Smiling himself, he starts to pet the baby's head.

"He's so little, mama."

"You were that little once Chris," she says, quickly masking a fleeting glimpse of melancholy. Snapping out of it quickly she gives Chris and Anna her rapt attention, not wanting them to feel left out. As I stare at my beautiful family. I look up when I hear a knock on the door. Smiling knowingly, I walk over and pull the door open. Everyone's mouth drops agape, eyes wide and full of wonder as the nurse comes into the room, bearing a special package.

"Your daughter is hungry, Mrs. Salvatore," she announces, handing her to Elena. Walking over to Elena's side, I stoop over and press a peck to my newborn daughter's incredibly soft skin.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Andy's twin sister, Allie. Oohs and ahs fill our room. Bending over again, I give my wife a kiss. Sucking in a silent breath, I raise my eyes upwards, mouthing the words I love you Billy.

After everyone has a chance to take their turns holding the twins, they all clear out of our room, Chris and Anna going home with grandpa and grandma Liz. Both of the babies are suckling at her breasts as I slide onto the bed beside her. Wrapping an arm around her, I kiss Elena's head. Once the babies are done eating and back in the nursery, I crawl back onto the bed, lay down and encircle her in my arms. In no time, she's sleeping soundly, her head resting on my shoulder.

Exhausted myself, I drop a kiss to the crown of her head. Choking up at the beautiful woman in my arms and all the happiness that she has brought back into my life, all I can do is stare.

Yawning deeply and just before I drop into slumber myself, I whisper, "Thank you for saving me. For making me believe that life was still worth living. For loving me and for giving me four beautiful children. I love you, Elena." just as I tumble into slumber. In my dreams, I feel a tug at my side. When I look down, I see Billy smiling happily.

" _I love you daddy," he says, hugging me tightly before scampering off to play with his brothers and sisters._

Panting visibly, I lurch upright in bed. As I struggle to catch my breath, I feel a smile start to form on my lips.

"Damon, what is it? What's wrong?" Swallowing thickly, I lace my fingers with hers, bringing her hand to my lips. After kissing her soft hand, I give them a squeeze.

"Nothing is wrong. He's okay, Elena. Billy told me that he's okay."

"Oh Damon," she whispers, motioning for me to lay back down. Nodding, I snuggle into her embrace, closing my eyes contentedly.

"Sleep my love," it the last thing I hear as the feel of her fingers massaging my scalp lulls me back to sleep.

 _Would you know my name_

 _If I saw you in heaven?_

 _Would it be the same_

 _If I saw you in heaven?_

 _I must be strong_

 _And carry on,_

 _'Cause I know I don't belong_

 _Here in heaven._

THE END

* * *

 _Thank you Eva for everything. None of this would be possible without your brilliance and insight. You mean the world to me._

 _And a very big thank you to all of you that took the time to follow, favorite and an extra special shoutout to those of you who did take those extra few seconds to review. I appreciate you all so much._

 _Chapter title: 'I Believe in Happy Endings' by Neil Diamond._

 _Watch for 'Nothing Left to Fear' to update soon. 'Angel's Fall' is still in progress as is 'Dig'. I would love to hear your thoughts on those stories as well._

 _Just before I turn the lights out on this story for the final time, I again want to express my deepest thanks and please, BE SAFE, Be Aware, and have a lovely day and a wonderful weekend._


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